


A Modern Merger

by Teachers_Pet



Category: Gentleman Jack (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:14:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 24,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22574629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teachers_Pet/pseuds/Teachers_Pet
Summary: Anne Lister and Ann Walker find each other in modern London.  Chapters 1-3.
Relationships: Anne Lister (1791-1840)/Ann Walker (1803-1854)
Comments: 141
Kudos: 235





	1. Chapters 1-3 of (?)

**A Modern Merger**

**Chapter One**

James pulled the black Rolls Royce Phantom curbside.

“Thank you, James. I’ll ring you after my meeting, but you’ll easily have time to catch a meal in the meantime.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” James said, as he held the glass-walled skyscraper’s lobby door open for Miss Walker.

Ann Walker’s heels ticked crisply across the marble floor as she headed towards the elevator. She ran her fingers across the gold embossed lettering on the business card in her pocket. She’d read it several times since she'd received it by courier after requesting a meeting.

**Lister Global, LLC**

**Import & Export Services**

**_London, New York, Singapore, Paris_ **

**Anne Lister, President**

On the back was firm, clear handwriting, “Got your message. Shall we say 5pm, 3rd of April? I'm at 26 Bishopsgate, London, suite 6901. Looking forward to see you again. Warmly, AL”

Alone as the polished steel elevator rose nearly 70 floors, she checked her appearance in the reflection and wondered why she felt nervous. She had met Ms. Lister once when she had visited her parents’ home years ago. Ann had been home on a school break. The Listers had held a small estate near her family’s main holdings for several centuries, and though they had friendly relations, the families were not close. Ann remembered thinking she’d never met anyone like Ms. Lister before. Tall, slim, with dark hair and eyes, Anne seemed to own every room she entered. She had a deep, rich voice and a huge, easy smile. Even at 25, she was running her family’s estate, Shibden Hall, with the confidence and, frankly, arrogance you typically see in men twice that age.

Now, fifteen years later, Miss Walker was in charge of her own family’s holdings as well. They were vast enough that staff on three continents managed the day-to-day affairs involving concerns in real estate, renewable energy, banking, pharmaceuticals and a few odds and ends. Miss Walker was the final word on all of these, but it was the renewable energy investments which interested her most. She often looked at the portraits of her stern coal-baron ancestors and wondered what they would think of Walker International today.

The elevator opened to an ultra-modern lobby. Well-curated collection of art hung on the walls. She recognized a Mainie Jellett and an Agnes Martin. A receptionist met her instantly. “Miss Walker, I presume.” Ann nodded, and the receptionist extended his arm to show her the way. “Ms. Lister is finishing a call, but asked for you to be brought right in. She’s delighted to meet with you. She mentioned she has very fond memories of spending time with you many years ago, at Christmas, at your family’s estate in Yorkshire.” 

They walked down a hallway lined with silent laminar-flow water effects opening to a room filled with sunshine. Floor to ceiling glass creating a curved wall which provided a dramatic 180 degree view of the Thames and the London skyline. “Thank you,” she said, as she took in the view. The receptionist bowed slightly and left.

Ann heard a woman’s familiar rich voice from her left. “Yes, I understand very well the complexities of dealing through Matadi, but that tantalum isn’t going to ship itself to cell phone factories. As I’ve explained, repeatedly, I’m prepared to offer 31.7 Sterling per kilo, raw ore, if and only if I can be assured a 2 year contract with at least 100 metric tonnes produced, transported to Matadi AND put on my ships before the contract ends. If your production quota is not met, my offer will decrease by 7% each quarter. You know, as well as I do, that global markets are looking to cut the Congolese out entirely. China’s production is increasing by the year and they already own much of the mining concerns in Rwanda, Brazil and Nigeria. Your problem is not my price. Your problem is that you think you have time.”

Miss Walker watched as the tall woman strode back and forth, facing London through the glass. Her long brunette hair was pulled into a simple low pony tail and her charcoal suit was perfectly tailored. She kept one hand in her pocket, and punctuated her sentences with her other arm, both elegance and strength displayed in the motions of her long fingers. She wore men’s shoes, black Italian leather oxfords in the latest style, and pulled it off as if every business woman should do the same. Ann noticed she still wore the odd blood-red pendant necklace she had seen on Anne’s neck so many years ago. Ann had no idea what Anne was talking about. Something about mining tantalum, it appeared. She’d never heard of it.

During a pause, Lister stopped her striding abruptly and listened carefully. Finally, she said, “Well then. Obviously. Speak to your people. In ten days’ time, I shall make the same offer to my contact in Kinshasa. I think you know the one. You’d do well to remind your people to consider who else would be willing to dirty their hands in the DRC for that price. Your tantalum does you no good in the ground. That will be all.”

She took out her ear piece, tossed it on her sprawling oak live-edge desk and turned around with a wide smile.

“Miss Walker!” she boomed, “It’s been too long. I was so pleased to hear you wanted to meet with me. How are your people back home?” She strode across the room to take Ann’s hand and gently kiss her cheek.

Miss Walker felt a bit unsettled. What is it about this woman? “Ah, uh, well, rather dead I’m afraid,” she said awkwardly.

“Oh goodness, I’m so sorry to hear that. It’s down to myself and Marian in my own clan as well. It is so good to see you.” She took a moment to run her eyes unabashedly over Miss Walker and gestured to a leather couch.

“It’s good to see you too. I am surprised you remembered me from all those years ago. I remember you very well. You’ve not changed one bit, I’m glad to see. You’ve done quite well it appears.”

“Ah, yes, thank you. I rather enjoy the rough and tumble of international trade. I find it invigorating.” She poured a small glass of cognac for each of them and took a seat. “Why should you think I wouldn’t remember you? You were so very animated, talking about your first semester at school. I believe we discussed anatomy. Do you recall?”

Miss Walker blushed and giggled. “Yes I do. You told me about the neuroanatomy course you were taking at the time, just for your own pleasure. I was enchanted by your passion for science.”

Ms Anne Lister smiled slowly. “You weren’t the only one enchanted. You remain a delight.” She held Ann’s eyes for a moment and then leaned forward, her elbows on her trousered knees. “And to what do I owe this latest delightful visit, Miss Walker?”

“I’ve a business opportunity which might make for an interesting collaboration. Amongst other hurdles, it involves a tricky bit of shipping for wind turbine components. If we pull it off, we may bring production costs down 25% per unit, whilst bringing much needed development to impoverished areas. The challenge will be the start-up requirements, for which I have adequate capital. You see, it would involve shipping between as of yet only partially developed ports as well as training and educating local labor. It’s a small project of mine, set aside from the main concerns of Walker International.” 

She looked at Anne more intently, now. “Ms. Lister, I have more money than I could possibly enjoy. Projects like these are fun for me. I’ve asked myself, ‘How can I use my capital to improve global affordable access to renewable energy whilst simultaneously lifting a city or even nation to modern standards of infrastructure, education and worker’s rights?’”

Ms. Lister leaned back and laughed a booming, warm laugh. “Well, well, well.” She looked intensely into Miss Walker’s eyes. “You’ve surprised me. And that’s not easily done.” She put her cognac down and crossed the room to call in her secretary.

“John, yes, come take some notes.” And smiling at the younger woman across from her, “And call me Anne, Ann.”

For the next two hours, Ann and Anne hashed out the rough plans for Miss Walker’s scheme. The whole thing hinged on the fact Miss Walker had purchased rights to a new patent on wind turbine design which would allow a much more efficient ratio between manufacturing costs and energy production. As they talked, it became clear that the 25% per unit savings was an understatement, and Lister, never missing a detail, asked Miss Walker why she had low-balled the estimate. “Oh yes, I know,” she replied. “I figured in a reasonable factor to account for the capital and time needed in the start-up. It will easily be five years before we start to see a profit. But you’re right, properly backed with capital, ten years out, with economy of scale tipping in our favor, we might even see 40% or more reduction in cost per unit compared to industry average today.” She beamed, “And that could change everything.”

Using Anne’s knowledge of shipping and infrastructure hurdles and Ann’s knowledge of the labor, material and production issues involved with the new turbines, they started to form a rough list of half a dozen underdeveloped ports in areas that, given the right amount of attention, could become a stable enough arena for their enterprise.

The sun had set hours ago, replaced by the twinkle of London’s lights through the glass walls. “Is it really half 8?” Ms. Lister asked. “Goodness, forgive me, I am a poor hostess. I often forget to eat when I find myself so fascinated. You must be famished. May I invite you upstairs for dinner?”

“I can’t remember having so lovely a conversation. Yes, I’d love to share dinner with you, but surely I'd be intruding?”

“Ah, no not at all! It’s just me and Argus up here. He’s probably wondering where I’ve been, but he’s quite used to my working odd hours. I’ll have the staff whip up a simple risotto and sea bass if that suits?”

While Ann called upstairs to staff, Miss Walker found herself undeniably sorry to hear she was married. _I’m being ridiculous_ , she thought to herself. _Of course she’s married. Why shouldn’t a beautiful, brilliant woman like her have a husband? And why should I care either way?_

Off the phone now, Ms. Lister called out to John, “That’ll be all. Please have a portfolio drawn up on those ports of interest by next week’s end. I especially want to know about any movers and shakers whom we haven’t yet met.” Winking at Miss Walker, she said, “I have good connections in these places, but things can change quickly in Africa. One must keep up with the local politics. Now, let’s go catch up with the more pleasurable side of life.” 

She walked Ann over to her desk and touched a button under its edge. A section of the wall silently slid open, revealing a small elevator. There were two buttons, the top marked “Helipad.” Ann pressed the lower one and seconds later, they came face to face with a tall handsome, ginger-haired man and a Jack Russell Terrier. Ms. Lister kissed the man on the cheek and the man got into the elevator and said, “I’ll be back shortly, he needs a walk.” “Hurry back,” Ann replied.

“Argus, I presume?” Miss Walker asked. 

“Yes. He’s a handful. You’ll love him, though I’m sure.” 

Miss Walker hoped her face didn’t betray her feeling of deflation. Anne led her around a gorgeous penthouse filled with sculpture, painting and photography from female artists. Floor to ceiling glass doors were slid open, inviting the unusually warm April breeze indoors. She could see a large deck with an infinity pool and hot-tub jutting out into the skyline from the building 70 stories above ground. Another door, presumably to the master bedroom, angled off the deck.

“Have a seat anywhere. What would you like to drink?”  
“A chardonnay would be fine.”  
Anne returned with a chilled bottle from Anne-Claude LeFlaive and asked if it would do. 

Miss Walker laughed, “Yes of course. Delightful.”

Somewhere in the background, she began to smell dinner being prepared. She saw no kitchen—only an elegant table setting for two across the large open plan residence. She said, “Oh dear, but I have intruded. Dinner is already set for you and Argus.”

  
Anne Lister laughed so violently she spat out a little of the wine and was heaving with laughter as she apologized and dabbed at her suit with a serviette. “Oh dear, goodness no! Argus will be lucky to lick the pans. You’ve already met him. He’s upstairs doing his business at the end of a leash!”

Ann joined her in laughing. “And here, I thought he was your husband!”

At this, Anne positively howled. She laughed from deep her in belly and finally, catching her breath, she set her wine down and leaned back in the couch, her left arm draped on the back, behind Ann’s head.

“You truly could not possibly have been more mistaken, my dear!” She smiled warmly. “No, the man you saw, is Nigel. He’s my dear brother Sam’s widower. He’s lived with me, managed the house staff and served as my helicopter pilot for the past few years, since Sam died.”

“I’m so sorry to hear Sam has passed. And so young! Wasn’t he just a couple years older than you?”

“Yes. He was a wild thing in his twenties. I always had to run things at home. But after sowing his oats, he had been living quietly back at Shibden, managing the farming business. Suddenly, ten years ago, he decided to up and join the military after a college friend of his died in Afghanistan. He became a helicopter pilot in the RAF. That’s how he and Nigel met. He died in an accident three years ago. Crashed into the Irish sea whilst shuttling around some infantry for a training exercise. Mechanical failure. He drowned.”

“That’s horrible!”

“It was even more horrible for Nigel. Theirs was a special kind of love. They married about seven years ago. Nigel has no other family. The two of them were inseparable. They took me in during….a tough spell…. for awhile, once upon a heartbreak. Anyway, when Sam died, I insisted Nigel come live with me while he picked up the pieces. It’s worked well. He’s even teaching me to fly. After a fashion.”

“A helicopter?”

“Hmm. They’re monstrously complicated to pilot. Each of your four limbs must work independently.”

“I never knew it was much different than flying a plane.”

“Very much so! If you find yourself needing a cure for insomnia, call me and I’ll explain in detail.”

“I can’t imagine you ever boring me at bedtime.” Ann instantly winced at saying that out loud. Anne raised her eyebrows and was opening her lips to reply when a chime sounded.

“That’ll be dinner. Shall we?”

As they walked towards the dinner setting, Argus and Nigel bounded through the elevator doors. 

“Nigel, come say hello to Miss Ann Walker of Crow Nest. Sam and I knew her from way back in Yorkshire days.”

“A pleasure! Oh, and I see Argus is happy to meet you too!” Nigel said. Argus was bouncing up and down around Ann’s shins, finally earning a scratch on the head.

“Well, I’m off for a drink with some old RAF blokes. Staying over at Barney’s probably. Have a lovely evening ladies.” He took a graceful but comical bow and headed back towards the elevator. 

Two tuxedoed wait staff were waiting to seat and serve the women. As they took their seats in the candlelight, the staff pushed their seats in, poured more exquisite chardonnay and presented an elegant sea bass, risotto and asparagus meal before disappearing through a sliding panel leading to the hidden kitchen. Gentle tones from Ella Fitzgerald floated along with the warm April breeze from the deck. The lights of London lay spread before them. They ate, exchanging travel stories and small talk. Ann tried to keep up, but Anne had been everywhere and done everything, it appeared. She watched the older woman trace her finger along the edge of her wine glass as she spoke of her first time in Cairo, a story that involved getting terribly lost in the bazaar and loving every second of it. Her jawline was strong and her lips were full. Ann found herself staring again at the odd blood-red pendant hanging just below the curves of Miss Lister’s collar bones.

“And how about you, Miss Walker, I mean Ann, where have you travels taken you?”

“Not nearly far enough, it appears.”

“Where would you like to go?”

Ann felt an urge to say “somewhere with you, I should think,” but instead said “somewhere new with someone new to a place neither she nor I have even considered before. A true adventure.”

“She?”

“I find men rather boring company these days. Do you agree?”

Miss Lister cleared her throat and paused before saying “I’ve always preferred to have my adventures with women.” She held a warm gaze with Ann and used a small old fashioned bell to call the servants to clear the table. “Goodness, how did it get to be after 10pm? Would you care for some Madeira on the deck?” Ann nodded with a smile. A woman in chef’s attire appeared again through the sliding panel. “That will be all for tonight, Mrs. Cordingly. Thank you. It was delicious as always.”

As she ushered the younger woman out to the cantilevered deck, she said, “I have spacious accommodations and night things for visitors if you care to spend the night. Mrs. Cordingly’s omelets and scones alone are worth the stay.”

Feeling a flush along her spine, Miss Walker found herself saying, “Thank you, that is very kind if you truly don’t mind. My residence at Piccadilly is dreadfully stuffy. But I should call James to let him know.”

Anne raised her dark eyebrows in a questioning wiggle. “Terrier or man?”

They both laughed. Ann Walker called James, “Yes, hello, James. You can take the car back to Piccadilly. I shan’t need your services this evening. Please pick me up at 9am and tell the house staff they have the night off.”

The two women made their way to the railing, drinks in hand and looked out over the city. Ann felt Anne’s closeness and warmth in the cooling night breeze. They stood quietly side by side for a few minutes.

“Do you have anyone special in your life, Miss Walker?”

“No. It is very hard to meet the right….type of people… in my position.” 

“Being famous for wealth doesn’t make dating life easy, does it?”

“How has love treated you, Ms Lister?”

“Mmmm. I seem to have a talent for finding heartbreak, unfortunately.”

“When you were telling me about Sam and Nigel, you said you had stayed with them after a….tough time. Were you married?”

“No. I keep finding…people… who would rather not make my company a permanent affair.”

“Who was she?”

Miss Lister smiled. “I’m glad we can talk openly. Yes, it was a woman. They all have been women. She left me to marry the man her family had chosen for her. Very Victorian. For the past several years, I’ve sworn off all possibility for romance. At least in shipping and trade, you can easily determine others’ motivations. And you? Have you ever married?”

“No. I have never found any man who has even vaguely interested me.”

Here, Anne turned to face Ann Walker. She sipped her Madeira and wiped her lips with her tongue. “Have there been any women? Who have vaguely interested you, Miss Walker?”

“Only very, very recently,” Miss Walker replied, stepping closer to the tall dark woman before her.

“Tonight is a special occasion for me. It’s my birthday.”

“Your birthday? Were you planning on spending it alone, with Nigel off cavorting?”

“No. Well, I hope this doesn’t sound forward, but I’d hoped to invite you to dinner when I saw you on my schedule for the day, just as a welcomed memory from home. I never dreamed you’d be so… enchanting. I can’t remember the last time I had such a pleasant a night as this.”

“I was hoping for more than a business meeting as well, Anne. You cut a striking impression on me all those years ago. I am so happy to have found you again.”

Miss Lister gently lingered her fingers along Miss Walker’s hand for just a second as she took Ann’s empty glass and her own and placed them on the railing. She took both of Ann’s hands in hers and gently kissed the back of each in a gentlemanly way. 

“Your visit has been the best birthday gift I’ve had in ages.”

The two women stood close, theirs bodies barely touching, looking at each other’s lips and searching each other’s eyes. An electricity rose quickly as they both felt each other acknowledge the building desire. Miss Walker slid her hands up to Anne’s upper arms and squeezed her strong shoulders, lifting her chin upward towards the taller woman’s face. Miss Lister responded by gently cupping her jawline and tracing her thumb over Ann’s lips. A decisive pause and then she dipped her head and pressed her slightly parted lips to Ann’s, gently and very briefly. Their tongues barely glanced each other. Pulling apart, the two women stared at each other in surprise, feeling heat building between them and then Anne wrapped her arms around Ann’s waist and took her into a full-bodied kiss. She could feel the younger woman open to her and throw her arms around her neck. Slowly they let their tongues do the speaking, teeth gently catching on each other’s, bosoms rising in faster breaths, brushing against each other’s nipples through the fabric of their shirts.

After a moment, they came up for air. Miss Walker, still grasping her hands behind Miss Lister’s neck said, “That was definitely not the kiss of a woman who has sworn off of romance.”

“Perhaps the fast is ending.”

**Chapter Two**

Anne took Ann’s hand and led her back into the living room. She pressed a button on the wall and the sliding glass panels to the deck closed. She stepped behind Ann and placed her hands along her waist. She leaned forward and let her breath brush Miss Walker’s neck and ear from behind. She whispered, “I find you very attractive. I’d like to see you again.” She gently took Ann’s earlobe between her lips and nibbled gently with her teeth. She felt Ann lean back into her and gasp slightly. Knowing it was best not to rush things, she kissed Ann’s cheek and led her to the guest bedroom. She was pleased at how aroused she had clearly made her guest. 

“I hope you’ll sleep well here tonight. Shut the door unless you don’t mind company from Argus. I’ll behave myself. For tonight, at least.” She flashed her wide smile. “I believe you’ll find everything you need in the en suite. Just ring the bell if you find anything wanting. Mrs. Cordingly’s scones will be waiting for you in the morning.”

Ann didn’t want the night to end. She turned to Ms. Lister and said, “Anne….tonight has been….”

“For me too. Let us not rush. I intend to savor every moment of discovering you.” She stepped up to Ann and held her by the back of the neck, kissing her deeply. Then she turned and left the bedroom without looking back, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Ann Walker stood there, her eyes still half closed and mouth open, wanting Anne’s lips back desperately. She pulled herself together and explored the room. The bathroom was large and luxurious with a Jacuzzi surrounded by a gas fireplace set into the wall. She flipped a pair of switches and the fire lit, the lights dimmed and the Jacuzzi jets began to hum. A very nice bottle of red along with an assortment of gourmet chocolates awaited her on a counter. She couldn’t resist. She ordered up some soft jazz on the sound system, poured herself some wine and rolled a chocolate around her mouth as she slipped out of her clothes. Her underwear was very wet. She smiled as she rinsed them in the sink and hung the silk undies to dry. _When was the last time a kiss caused that to happen?_

She sank into the bubbly heat of the Jacuzzi and watched the flickering flames around her as she sipped wine and thought about the evening. She kept thinking about what Ms. Lister’s breath in her ear did to her…. _I find you very attractive_ …… She wanted to feel that ripple of excitement through her body again. She began to imagine what might have happened if the older woman had decided to take things further. Closing her eyes, she sank lower in the tub and ran her fingers along her breasts and thighs. She needed release. She edged to the side of the tub and put the wine down. She had just started giving serious consideration as to which jets might have convenient angles when Argus came bounding into the bathroom.

“Oh you silly thing.” He put his front paws on the tub edge and joyfully received a head scratch before trotting off again. 

Ann was aware the bathroom door was wide open and beyond that, the bedroom door was open as well. She wondered what Ms. Lister was doing. Was she in her own room, thinking about her, with her own door open? Ann began to touch herself again, thinking about what it would be like to watch the handsome woman undress at the end of her work day, kicking off those oxfords and removing her suit. _I bet she has beautiful legs_ , Ann thought. She imagined what it would be like if Ms. Lister decided to put on a robe and cross the penthouse to join her. As she positioned herself just so in the water, she tilted her head back and imagined what Anne’s mouth would feel like on her most tender places. The water pressure over her clit quickly began to do the trick and soon, she came hard, huskily whispering _Anne, Anne, Anne._

Across the penthouse, Anne Lister had indeed kicked off her oxfords and hung her suit. Wearing only a white plush robe, she sat at the desk in her bedroom and typed into her diary, using symbols in a code known only to her. She had done this her whole life and absolutely nothing got in the way of her habit of recording each day’s important events. After listing the highlights of her various business meetings and her latest thoughts about the tantalum deal, she started in on the collaborative project Miss Lister had brought to her. She allowed herself a pause to remember how beautiful the young blonde had looked standing in her office. Her bright blue eyes, curly hair, those dimples….and her slender neck…

She felt herself getting aroused again. She could hear the hum of the Jacuzzi from across the penthouse. Just then, Argus ran in and greeted her, his head a touch wet. “Well, well, well. Have you been in to see the wonderful Miss Walker, then?” Argus licked her shins and jumped up on the bed. Anne returned to her diary. She was finding it hard to concentrate on her code as she listened to the Jacuzzi and imagined Miss Walker in there, naked. She shook off the thought and managed to get the gist of the evening into curt detail and checked her watch: 11:36pm.

Tossing off the robe, she turned off the lights and sank into the luxury of her Egyptian cotton sheets, Argus coiled at her feet. She heard the Jacuzzi shut off. She wondered if Ann were still naked as well. She remembered brushing the curve of her breasts as she had held her from behind. She remembered how those breasts had arched and lifted upwards as she had nibbled on that perfect little ear. Ms. Lister felt herself throb. She forced herself to remain still. She did not want release quite yet. She relished this feeling of desire. It had been so very long. _I bet she tastes wonderful._

Thinking about how she’d like to kiss every inch of Miss Walker’s petite curvy frame, she found herself face down and beginning to move against her own hand. _Yes, there it is._ She imagined Ann Walker beneath her, with her breasts moving with each thrust. _I bet she knows how to be fucked._ Moving faster now. _I bet she looks gorgeous when she comes_. Ann Lister finally allowed herself release and fell into a deep sleep.

**Chapter Three**

Ann Walker woke to the sounds of a helicopter coming to full power. There was a very slight shudder in the penthouse and then the sound grew increasingly distant. She looked at the clock and shot out of bed. It was already 8:15. _I can't believe I slept in so late!_ She got up to close the door, left ajar all night, but Argus came bouncing through with a Jack Russell's trademark joyful energy. Ann noticed he was wearing a bow-tie and a bit of parchment wrapped in red ribbon attached to his collar. She stooped to give him his well-earned belly rubs and took the elegant note written in cursive with a thick ink.

_Lovely Ann,_

_I couldn't bear to disturb your sleep. Please forgive my choice of messenger. I needed to set off for Heathrow. Mrs. Cordingly has breakfast awaiting for you. Just ring the bell. I'll be traveling for a fortnight, mostly attending to my Singapore office. John will be compiling information concerning our collaborative venture whilst I'm away. May I see you again upon my return? I happen to have Friday the 19 th free, but your convenience and pleasure is my command._

_\--Anne_

_PS: You've utterly ruined my solitude._

“Argus, I'm beginning to like you quite well.” Ann closed the door and dressed. She thought of leaving a note, but couldn't quite think of what to say. She found herself reading the post-script several times before pocketing the note and heading out to the dining area.

Mrs. Cordingly was there already. “Good morning, Ma'am. I hope you've slept well?”

“Yes, so well in fact that I've embarrassed myself by missing breakfast.”

“Not at all! Ms. Lister is always up by 5am and breakfast usually entails my chasing her around begging her to have a bite of something, anything, before she heads out. She's a whirlwind.” She smiled warmly. “She mentioned your driver might arrive soon, so I've sent word downstairs to await your ring. Please have a seat. It would be a pleasure to serve an actual breakfast for once.”

“Oh you are so kind. And last night's dinner was delicious. I'm afraid I must be off quickly myself. But I've heard so much about your scones, may I trouble you for a portion and some breakfast tea with milk? And only if you'll sit with me and chat.”

“It would be my pleasure, ma'am.” Mrs. Cordingly poured the tea and lifted a cloth napkin off a basket of perfect scones. She served them on china with a bit of clotted cream. 

“These are delicious! How is it that the best scones in the kingdom have been hiding here in a Bishopsgate penthouse? Have you been Ms. Lister's chef very long?”

“Thank you, ma'am,” Mrs. Cordingly blushed. “I've been devoted to Ms. Lister since I was 20 years old and she was barely in secondary school. I was in a bit of a crisis at the time, to be quite honest. I'd married too young and chosen poorly. My husband left shortly before my daughter was born. It was quite the scandal. His people had held tenancy on Lister lands for many generations. I had no skills, no family, and an infant to raise. If it weren't for Ms. Lister insisting on keeping me as her personal aide, I am not sure what would have happened.”

“But she was still in secondary at the time?”

“Aye. She used most of her spending money to help with my expenses raising Sophie and sent me to Paris for culinary and language training whilst she finished school. She said we'd both become proper ladies with a little investment.” Mrs. Cordingly giggled. “Well, at least I've learned to cook, perhaps. But my French is atrocious.”

“I think you are both remarkable and I've had a lovely time here, Mrs. Cordingly. Would it be too much to ask for a couple scones to take with me?”

“I've taken the liberty of putting together a little care package for you, ma'am. I do hope you'll visit again. It's been years since I've seen Miss Lister so cheerful as she was this morning.”

Moments later, Ann handed the delightful little basket of scones to James and took her seat in the Phantom. “Thank you James. Let's skip Piccadilly altogether. Please call ahead to the pilot. I'd like to head for Boston today. And have Stephen set up a meeting with my turbine team this evening. He'll understand the message.”

Ann closed the privacy screen, sank back into the leather of the Rolls Royce and watched London slide by slowly in rush-hour traffic as they headed to the private airfield Walker International kept near Gatwick. She played over all her memories of the past day. She had never felt this way about a woman before, or for a man, either. There was a spark here that could be dangerous. Or could it be the beginning of a real love affair? At 32 years old, Miss Walker had long felt she was simply missing a gene or perhaps that she had been too damaged or jaded by past disappointments and betrayals to experience the romantic electric butterfly feelings one encountered in pop songs and Valentine's cards. But last night, Anne Lister's kiss made her tingle in a way she'd never before felt. 

She decided she must try to be rational. An erotic encounter like last night's doesn't mean anything, she told herself. No, that's not right either, she thought. It at least proves there IS magic for me, too, in this world. She resolved to not get ahead of herself, but to just let things take their course with the mysterious Anne Lister. After all, she had a long list of serious problem-solving challenges to face with her engineering team, not to mention a massive multinational company to run. Plenty to keep her busy. Plenty to occupy her until the 19th. Fifteen days away. As if she was counting. She laughed at herself in the reflection of the car window.

Already over the English Channel and into French airspace, Ms. Lister was in full business mode. She'd awakened a bit before 5am and taken Argus up for a few laps around the rooftop as she listened to financial reports from the overnight Asian currency markets. Argus happily trotted around the rooftop garden as she immersed herself in the gym near the helipad for some free-weight work while John gave her the morning brief from yesterday's New York office activity. Back downstairs, Mrs. Cordingly had all but employed forced gavage to get an omelette into her before she set out for Heathrow. It was the normal morning pace, but she seemed a bit off balance. She kept losing place, asking for repetitions of exchange rates and shipping schedules. Even now, at her desk on the jet, she found tantalum ore figures anything but tantalizing compared to the memory of Ann Walker's right ear lobe.

Finally, she pushed back her seat and closed her laptop. _Well if I can't concentrate on anything else, I might as well make a logical study of my situation. I am far too busy to get caught up in frivolity. Yes, she's beautiful and gentle and smart. Yes, I want her, badly. Yes, I can likely have her. Yes, she's unfathomably rich. Yes, I am distracted by her. But to what end? Another run-around? More drama? These past few years, alone, have been smooth and profitable. Lister Global is coming into its own. The turbine idea is intriguing, though. The profits would be immense and how often does an opportunity come along to use someone else's unlimited capital?_

Ms. Lister frowned as she flicked her middle finger against the edge of her water glass. She thought of Ann's words in her office, _“Ms. Lister, I have more money than I could possibly ever enjoy....”_ That thought rumbled around her head for some time. _When will I know I've reached that point? And is that, in fact, the point I am trying to reach?_

 _____________ End Chapter_________


	2. Chapters 4-8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mergers and acquisitions continue.

**Chapter Four**

Stephen was waiting on the tarmac at Logan for Ann Walker. “Good afternoon, Ma’am, I hope your flight was smooth?”

“Yes, thank you. Are we on for a meeting with Emma?”

“She’s waiting at the office. She’s as giddy as a German electrical engineer is likely to get, I suppose.”

Ann smiled. “I can only imagine.” Emma Lehmann and Ann’s Scottish niece, Mary, had met while they were both in graduate school in Berlin. Mary had once described her lover as a cross between Bill Nye the Science Guy and a constipated Angela Merkel. It all depended on her mood. She was brilliant. After working at a few German engineering firms, she’d been scooped up by MIT. She was a turbine guru and she had been excited to take up Ann’s challenge to find new manufacturing pathways. Stephen briefed Ann on other Walker International matters until they reached the office on Tremont overlooking the Common. 

“Ann! I’m so glad you've come! Mary sends her love. How was the meeting in London?”

“Wonderful. Anne Lister is on board. I’m so glad you thought to recommend her. You’re right, she has all the right connections. She’s….remarkable.”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “You got along well, then?”

“That’s an understatement. So tell me how the thingamajig is coming along.”

“Our patent, the thingamajig, is a variation of a standard DC-linked capacitor. We made high-end PP film versions at my old firm in Germany, but for turbines, what we really need is scale, durability and economy. Some loss in precision is acceptable. I think I’ve come up with a manufacturing process we could develop on-site almost anywhere at a fraction of the cost usually seen in PP film! And it’s still self-healing!”

“English, please?”

“Right. Every cell phone, computer, gaming system, electrical grid component...or turbine...needs a dam called a capacitor to manage energy flow. For small stuff, specialty metals are used, but for large scale, durable applications, certain plastics are often used instead. Anyway, PP stands for polypropylene. It’s cheap and easy to make from a chemical building block called propylene, which is made from natural gas. No need for specialty ores mined under exploitative conditions. And if it overeheats….think plastic...it basically just melts and reforms itself. So, say you have a turbine operating out in the middle of nowhere, and it overloads/overheats, you don’t have to get a crew out to install a new capacitor. It heals itself.”

“Wow. You can make materials that do that?” 

“It’s been the center of my entire career. What’s new and exciting is that we’ve made a small but scalable machine that can now make really fine, thin films of PP for capacitors as easily as a kid printing something off a 3-D printer. All I need is reliable electricity, a good source of polypropylene and a temperature controlled setting for the machines. We can train labor for this easily. And Ann, we can even make our own PP from propylene and use some of it for the PP film production and the rest of it for resin for structural components for the blades and shafts and so forth! On site!” She was in full Bill Nye mode and nearly levitating at this point. “We’d need steel of course, for the bulk of the structural material for the turbines, but that’s just a matter of shipping.’

“I think I’m almost following you, but walk me through it.”

The two women sat at the conference table for a couple hours as Emma walked her through simplified powerpoints she had playfully titled,  _ So You Want to Make a Polymer _ and  _ Capacitor Design for Dummies. _

Ann was getting excited.  _ What if we could set up a plant in an impoverished area and make turbine components on site from scratch, employing and educating hundreds of people and also spurring on basic infrastructure in the process….it would provide tremendous sustainable growth to the community. An under-developed African port town could become a global hub for renewal energy technology. And that could lift up not only the local area, but also provide a cheap electricity source for vast swaths of the third world. …..Capital for good, for change. _

“I can’t wait to tell Anne!”

Emma saw the dreamy expression on her adopted aunt’s face. She closed her laptop. “I think you need to tell me more about this meeting. Can you come for dinner? Mary would love to see you.”   


Mary, the only daughter of Ann’s older sister, was teaching literature at Tufts. She wanted to have a normal life and live off her own earnings. She and Ann had always been close. Ann had never wanted children, but after her sister died, she became a big-sister type of mentor for Mary. With a thick Scottish brogue and her long strawberry hair piled up in a loose bun, she greeted Ann with a huge hug and kisses on the cheek. 

“Aunt Ann, I’m impressed, you’ve survived multiple hours of Emma’s geekery and haven’t yet jumped back into your jet for escape!” 

“Hardly. It’s been fascinating,” Ann said.

“Great. Perhaps I can jump in your jet for escape, then?”

Emma jabbed Mary in the arm. “Hey,  _ some  _ people appreciate genius.”

“Sweetie, trust me. No one appreciates polymer talk over dinner.” 

“Well then, maybe your dear Aunt Ann can tell us about her time with Ms. Lister in London.”    


Catching Ann’s blush, Mary said, “Oh really? Now that  _ is i _ nteresting. Do tell!”

“Your mother knew her, right?” 

“Yes. Miss Lister turned up with a ‘friend’ one summer at our cottage in the Lake District. They were on a hiking trip around the north and had asked around amongst family friends for layover points, I suppose. I had the next bedroom over. I must say I learned a few things,” Mary giggled.

“Really? Who was the friend?” Ann couldn’t help asking.

“Um, someone named Teri, no Tabitha...no, I think it was Tib, actually. I was about 12 and I remember asking mom about why they were sharing a room. She got all tense and seemed cross that I’d asked. Which of course made me more curious. I listened through the wall. As you might imagine, it made an impression on my innocent little mind.”

Ann blushed again and cleared her throat. “Ah, I’d imagine so.”

“So she’s in London? Word is that she’s some kind of tycoon these days. Quite the lady’s woman about town as well, I’ve heard.”

Ann looked down. “I don’t know about that. We had dinner.”

Emma piped in with, “And?”

“And she’s brilliant. I’ve never met anyone like her.” Mary and Emma exchanged glances. Mary prodded her along. “Well come on then, was there any talk beyond business?”

Over many years of false starts in brief and unsatisfying relationships, Ann had shared with her gay niece that she had wondered about her own orientation at times. So now, in a townhouse in Massachusetts, after a good gulp of wine, she said, “Ok, Detective Constables, you’ve got me. I admit it. She was captivating. And yes, there was more than business.”

Mary guffawed. “I  _ knew _ it!” She poured everyone a new glass and demanded to hear everything, but Ann simply said, “We kissed. It was...I haven’t felt that way before. Ever.”

Emma wanted clear data. “So are you dating or not?”   


“Look, I don’t know. I barely know her. We’re working on the turbine idea. She’s in Singapore now. I’m seeing her again in 15 days.”

Emma said, “That was a precise number.”

Ann pushed back her chair slightly and sighed. “So is ‘16,’ which is the number of hours I’ve been on the go. Thank you for dinner. It was delicious and it is so nice to catch up with you both. There is literally nowhere else in the world where I feel more at home...more like myself, than with you, Mary and Emma. I’m just exhausted, to be honest.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, what was I thinking of, keeping you up? It’s after midnight for you!” Mary said, sending a small dose of old-fashioned Evil Eye to Emma. “Your room is always ready for you any day and any night. Your overnight bag is right where you left it. I’m sorry we’re teasing you so much. We’re so excited for you...you know, with the turbine project. I’ll help carry up your things.”

For Ann, it did indeed feel like half past midnight even though the evening was very young here in Massachusetts. She accepted Mary’s help and headed upstairs to the guest room. As Mary was gathering towels and getting toiletries ready, she looked over at her yawning aunt. “I really am sorry we ambushed you.”

“It’s ok. To be honest, I’m glad I have someone to talk to about this. It’s as if I’ve only just discovered I’ve been color-blind my whole life. It’s overwhelming. I am not sure what to do, honestly.”

“What do you mean? If you like her, you should keep seeing her.”

“It’s just ...she has so much experience. She’s been everywhere, done eveything. I knew that about her in business and travel, and now I find out from you that it’s also true in matters of romance….with women.”

“Don’t get the wrong impression, though, aunt Ann.” Mary was helping change the pillowcases on the bed. “Gay women back in the U.K., lesbians amongst a certain class, we tend to know of each other. I like to call it the Lesbian Mafia.”

“Ha! If only there really was a Lesbian Mafia!”

“Indeed! Instead of drug and prostitution rings, we’d likely run predatory artisanal cheese co-ops. But we’d never get past the committee-forming phase into actually committing any profitable crime.”

They both laughed as they spread out the comforter over the queen-sized bed. 

“Anyway, so I know you want to know…. Here’s the thing... I’ve heard of Anne Lister in bed with lots and lots and  **_lots_ ** of women. But the only times I’ve ever heard of any heartbreak, it’s been when she has been the one hurting. She’s good people, as they say here. I hear she’s a hopeless romantic…..and a rather good lay, by the way.”

“Oh stop!” Ann threw a used pillowcase at her niece. She looked at her warmly. “Thank you, Mary. This has been exciting and confusing and I don’t know what to make of it quite yet. I need, quite literally, to sleep on things. I love you so much. I’m so glad you’ve found Emma. I hope you know how lucky you are. Good night, my sweet niece.”   


“Goodnight, Aunt Ann. I’m so glad you came tonight. You’re the only family I’ve got.”

The two held each other in a hug for a long time before Mary headed back downstairs to help Emma with dishes.

Ann changed into her night clothes and attended to her evening routine in the bathroom before dragging herself back down the hallway to the guest room and crashing face-down into her pillow. She fell asleep nearly instantly.

Four hours later, a bit after 11pm, she woke up thirsty. Padding down the hallway to the bathroom to get a glass of water, she heard something that stopped her in her tracks.

“Mein Gott…...”

It was instantly obvious the hoarse outburst was not part of a theological discussion, per se.

Ann stopped dead in the hallway, not far from the door to the master bedroom and listened, nearly holding her breath. There were faint mufflled sounds of gasps and groans, but the noise that gained her immediate attention was a slow rhythm of soft thuds caused by a headboard on a wall.

A whispered “shhhh….she’ll hear.” 

“She’s asleep...oh god…do it…..do it harder.”   
Then a hissed, barely audible “be quiet….take it...take it quietly.”

The soft thuds came a little more quickly and a little louder. Now Ann heard no words, just breathing. She was now up against the wall, her belly and breasts againts the cool drywall, her ear shamelessly pressed against it as well. She hated herself for doing this, even as her left hand wandered under her sweatpants. 

“Oh god, Mary.’

“Shut uuuuuuppp. This ends….right now….if you don’t …..hush.” Soft slapping sounds of flesh started to gain speed. The thuds got quicker but the voices ended. 

Ann strained but she only barely heard gasps and merely the front edges of obscene moans. Ann couldn’t help herself. She had to hear the end. She stood against the wall, with her own fingers sliding along the creases on either side of her clit in sync with every bump of the headboard in the adjoining room. The pace quickened and became irregular and ragged. She started to hear muffled indistinct sounds and the thuds became sharper. She found herself breathing through her mouth in gasps, riding the wave, too. 

There was an abrupt pause in the moans and shuffles and then a sudden irregular, frantic acceleration in the headboard percussion. All three women were holding their breath waiting for the release. 

And then, finally, a shuddering “hhhhnnnngggg…” that spoke for them all.

**Chapter Five**

It had been a hard fortnight in Singapore. Anne Lister had spent the first several days dealing with fall-out from shipping delays leftover from the northeast monsoon season. Making it worse, she never slept well in her flat overlooking Kampang Glam Park, although it was spacious and quiet. She was never here long enough to adjust to the eight-hour time change. The flight was nearly 15 hours including a refueling in Istanbul. She tended to arrive grumpy and tired and leave even more so. Wiithout Samuel Washington, her operational manager on site, Lister Global would be Lister Limping in Singapore She’d lured Washington away from a job with Maersk in Shanghai two years ago and often thought it was the single best move she’d ever made in personnel. 

“Ma’am, you asked to see me about the Congolese deal?”    


“Yes, please for the love of all that is holy, tell me Robert Ntumbe has come to his senses. I told him 9 days ago I would offer the 31.7 sterling per kilo deal to our man in Kinshasa if he didn’t agree within 10 days. I’ve been awating word. What’s the latest?”   


Washington pulled up a chair beside Anne’s desk. The office was not nearly as luxurious a setting as the London “mother ship,” but it was functional and held a commanding view over Marina Bay. 

“I’m afraid we have a problem in Kinshasa. I’ve heard that Mr. Ilungo has been in talks with people in Kingali about a new tantalum primary processing center being built in Rwanda.”

“What? In Rwanda? When?”   


“I’m hearing it should be operational by the end of the year.”

“Good Lord.”

Anne slumped back in her chair. She had already won a deal with MX Metals to sell them the Congolese material, either as raw ore sent to their primary processing plant in Japan or as K-salts shipped to their refinery in Germany. She’d been using the threat of buying ore from Ilungo to try to get Ntumbe to the table quickly and at a bargain. 

In fact, before she’d left London, she had played hardball and told Ntumbe, “Your problem is that you think you have time” to get his ore to market,. She’d given him ten days to decide. But if he and Ilungo now both knew they could get the ore to Rwanda for processing cheaper than shipping it overseas by Lister freight, she would be locked out. And worse, she’d be in a terrible position with MX Metals, a very valuable account.

“This is terrible. We have to assume Ntumbe and Ilungo are prepared to give me the proverbial middle finger. What are your thoughts?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps we should walk away. Leave them hanging for a quarter or so and hope the Rwanda refinery development hits a roadblock. Or we could consider acquiring stakes in the refinery. Or even try to slow it down. We do have a few useful contacts in the railways. But it could poison our well if we get too aggressive.”

“Right.” Anne rubbed her eyebrows. “Ok. Is the refinery in Rwanda primary or secondary?” 

“Strictly primary. They’ll be able to separate out the niobium and get the tantalum into K-salts but they won’t be able to produce the purified oxides or metal powders MX Metals will want for making capacitors for electronics.”

“So, who is in the market to handle downstream logistics for the Rwanda plant? They’d want to go through Tanzania, I’d suppose, to get to a port.”

“Still working on that part, ma’am.”

“Good. I need all the information you can get. Knowledge is power, as they say.”

Mr. Washington left with a slight bow and a young Singaporean secretary entered.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, ma’am. Miss Ann Walker of Walker International is on line one. Shall I take a message?”

Anne lit up. “No, thank you, Jiang. I’ll take it.”

“I was beginning to think Argus had failed in his duties, Miss Walker.”

“Oh, not at all. I’m sorry. I should have called earlier. I didn’t want to disturb you. How are you?”

“Well ,to be honest, I’d rather be at my flat overlooking London with a beautiful woman, sipping Madeira,”

She could almost hear Ann Walker smile.

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing.”

“Hmm. I’m set to get back to London in a few days. Would you be free Friday the 19th?”

“Yes, in fact, that’s why I called, to see if that would still work for you. And to hear your voice.”

“I’m glad you did.” Ann Lister put her feet up on her desk, ankles crossed. “Your voice has been the only sunshine of my day thus far.”   


“Is everything all right?”

“No, actually. But unless you have insider knowledge about a new Rwandan tantalum refinery, I doubt either of us would like to discuss my nightmare of a day What have you been up to?”

“I spent a few days with my niece in Boston. Do you remember Mary? She said she met you once at my sister’s cottage in the Lake District.”

There was a pause before Ann replied, “Ah, yes. I think I spent a night or two with them whilst on a hiking trip.”

“You and Tib?”

“Ha! Indeed! Now she was a wild spirit. It’s been many years since I saw her last. Have you met her?”

“I’ve not had the pleasure, but it seems the two of you made quite an impression on my niece. Anyway, my niece’s partner is the scientist who developed the patent I mentioned. We’ve come up with wonderful ideas. I can’t wait to tell you all I’ve learned about capacitors.”

“Capacitors? Now, that is very interesting. But not as interesting as other subjects we might explore together.”

“Oh, Anne! You’re incorrigible, aren’t you?” 

“You don’t know the half of it, love. So may I pick you up on the 19th? Friday? I was thinking of having Nigel drop us at a chaumiere I’ve kept in Cornwall if you’d fancy a weekend on the coast.”

Another pause. “Or we could keep it simple with dinner in London?”

“Let me check with my secretary regarding the weekend. But I’m all yours Friday.”   


“Good. Very good. I’ll see you then.”

They clicked off and Anne decided to call it a day.  _ Very good indeed,  _ Anne thought.

**Chapter Six**

Mary was staring at a pile of papers when the phone rang.

“Aunt Ann! How are you?”

“Am I interrupting anything?”

“Thankfully, yes. I’m in the midst of grading 60 freshman essays on  _ The Grapes of Wrath _ . I’m beginning to think I’d rather be in the Dust Bowl myself. What’s up?”

“Well, you see, it’s Anne Lister. She’s invited me to a weekend on the coast in Cornwall and I’m…. terrified.”

“Oh, no need. Cornwall isn’t that bad. I mean, it’s not the riviera, but still.”

“Stop it. You know perfectly well what I mean. What am I going to do?”

“Obviously, you should go and have a good shag. Did you say yes?”

“I gave her a firm maybe.”

“What’s holding you back?”

“Mary, the thing is that I don’t know how. I mean I’ve never done this before. She’s going to find me a complete bore.”

“Anne Lister is the kind of woman who knows a good thing when she sees it. Why are you so worried?”

“Because I have no idea what to do! I mean with men, it’s not exactly rocket science….I have no idea how to...please her.”

Mary laughed hard. “Do you need a map? Come on now, surely you understand the anatomy involved, after all.”

“Mary, I’m so sorry, this is terribly embarrassing, but I need to ask….is someone, you know, the lad? How does this work?”

“That’s a bit like asking a pair of chopsticks which one is the fork. Look, there is no formula to follow. It’s different with every woman. And it’s different every time with the same woman. The key is to follow your instincts and she’ll follow hers. Your bodies will figure it out.”

“That all seems rather vague.”

“Ah, the mysteries of love and lust. When you kissed, you felt something, right?”

“It was incredible.”

“Like the rest of the world disappeared and your lips and tongue were the center of the universe and you couldn’t remember how to breathe?”

Ann laughed, “Yes, pretty much exactly like that.”

“Well, I imagine you’ll kiss again, and what you felt the first time will build up. You don’t need to plan ahead or worry what to do because frankly, if that spark is there, you won’t be able to think anyway. Just let things happen. And talk to her. Don’t try to pretend anything. Let her take control…..unless you want to, of course.”

“Am I being daft? Is this going too quickly?”

“You’re two full-grown women who have eyes for each other. Life is too short as it is. Don’t get in your own way.”

“Did it come naturally your first time?”

“So naturally, it came too quickly, if you get my drift.”

“Thank you Mary. I am so glad we’ve stayed close. I’ve told her yes to dinner on Friday and I’ll just play it by ear after that.”

They caught up on other news and wished each other a good night. Ann went back to staring at her clothes hanging in her dressing room for the twelfth time of the night, her luggage open and empty, waiting for decisions to be made.  _ I can’t believe I’m doing this. _

  
  


**Chapter Seven**

Anne Lister smiled and she ran her thumb across the ink on Miss Walker’s note. 

  
_ My dear Anne, _

_ I would be delighted to accept your offer of a weekend on the Cornish coast. We have much to discuss. I must admit I’m a bit nervous. I’m fearful my company won’t meet your expectations. But if you promise to pack a few of Mrs. Cordingly’s scones, I might be persuaded to be brave. Shall I meet you at half four on the 19th?  _

_ \--Ann. _

Anne had returned a note of her own by courier written on parchment by quill and ink. She enjoyed the scratchy feel whenever she wrote with a quill on parchment.

_ My lovely Ann, _

_ I have found it hard to consider matters of ordinary business since I saw you last, sleeping with your golden curls splashed across one of my pillows. I am delighted you can join me. I’ll bring an abundant supply of scones. May I make my own request? Please bring rough pub clothes. I have a place I’d like to take you.  _

_ Increasingly yours, _

_ Ann _

It was now after 4pm on the 19th and Ms Lister was checking herself in her bedroom mirror. She had chosen her favorite waistcoat, elegantly embroidered with a purple paisley pattern, to go over a simple white silk shirt with the top four buttons as well as the top button of the waistcoat left undone. She always thought her jawline and neck were her nicest features. Black leather jodphur boots and trim-fitting black trousers completed the outfit. Her hair was in a low pony, as usual, but she left a few strands loose to frame her face. A weekend bag was waiting, packed with a few intimate things. Argus trotted beside her as she paced back and forth. Mrs. Cordingly knocked gently at the door.

“Sorry to disturb you, ma’am. I’ve packed a picnic kit and a basket of scones for you. I called ahead to Eugenie. She has the chaumiere well-stocked for you. Nigel’s upstairs watching telly in the gym until you’re ready to leave.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Cordingly. We’ll likely return sometime Sunday evening. I’ll let you know about dinner. Enjoy the weekend until then.”

“Thank you. And ma’am, if I might say so, Miss Walker is delightful. I’m glad you’ve made a new friend.”

Anne winked, “Yes, although she’s been very distracting.” 

They heard the elevator’s distinct whirring noise and left the bedroom in time to see the receptionist usher Ann Walker into the living room before continuing his ascent to bring her luggage upstairs.

“Good afternoon, Miss Walker! Wonderful to have you back,” beamed Mrs. Cordingly. 

Anne Lister stood stock still with her mouth slightly open, staring. Miss Walker stood on strappy black heels, her perfect, slender legs rising in thin black hosiery to a very short stretchy knit skirt. She wore a red silk blouse with a plunging neckline. Her golden curls spilled out from a loose bun. Her eyes were even bluer than she’d remembered. 

“Good to see you too, Mrs. Cordingly! Are you ok, Anne?”   


“Ah….yes…..Of course. I just… you’re gorgeous.”

Ann giggled, happy to see she’d chosen her outfit well. She crossed over to Anne and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. Anne took her hand and kissed it. “Now that I’ve recovered from the sheer shock of your beauty, may I offer you a drink?”   


They sat on chairs on the deck. Anne couldn’t take her eyes off her date’s thighs as Ann bounced her crossed legs and sipped her wine. They caught up on each other’s travels back from Singapore and the States but mostly they were staring at each other, smiling. 

Anne reached forward to gently tuck a strand of Ann’s hair behind her ear. “I’m so very glad you decided to come. I’ve been second-guessing myself, wondering if I had been too rash to invite you so soon, but now that you’re here, I can’t imagine how I’ve been able to wait these past two weeks.”

Ann blushed and put her hand on Anne’s thigh. “I’ve felt the same way. There’s just something about being with you that makes me feel wonderful.”   


“I want you to know that just because I’m whisking you away to a remote setting with, I admit, less than pure motives,” Anne flashed her wide smile at Ann, “it doesn’t mean that I expect anything from you that you don’t want to give. I want to discover you, but at precisely your pace. The chaumiere is my happy place--my place to relax and unplug. I hope you’ll find it as rejuvenating as I do.”

“I can’t wait to see it. I’ve not been to a chaumiere before. Is it a type of cottage?”

“Ha! Yes, a very small one. I call it my chaumiere as a bit of a joke because of my French maid there. I think you’ll find her amusing.”

Rising, Ms. Lister extended her hand to Ann and watched her unfold those beautiful legs. They walked back through the living room. The receptionist had returned and ferried up the picnic things and Anne’s luggage. He and Mrs. Cordingly wished the ladies a lovely weekend as they stepped into the elevator.

The two women smiled at each other in the polished steel’s reflection and Anne’s pinky intertwined with Ann’s. They emerged on the rooftop and Anne gave a brief tour of the garden and gym while Nigel settled the luggage into the back of the helicopter. 

“Miss Walker, so good to see you again! Here is a headset if you’d like it.” He turned to Anne, “Will you be co-piloting today?”

“Not today. I’d prefer to sit with my lovely guest.” 

“I can see why!” Nigel said quietly and slapped Anne on the shoulder. She shooed Nigel away and helped Miss Walker into the passenger compartment. They strapped themselves in. Nigel expertly wound up the chopper and set a southerly course. They watched London’s downtown fade into suburbia and then rolling hills. 

Ann Walker stared out the window. She’d always loved to watch the view whilst flying. Ms. Lister found her own eyes wandering elsewhere. She gently laid her hand on Ann’s smooth, toned thigh just below the hem of her mini-skirt and gently stroked her pantyhosed skin with her finger. Ann looked over at her, smiled and brushed hair back from Anne’s face. Their eyes met and their gaze held for a long moment before they both laughed. Neither had put on a headset, leaving them to speak without words in the loud helicopter. For much of the ninety minute flight, they held hands and felt their fingers play together softly. Anne leaned very close to Ann’s ear and said, “I’m already having a hard time behaving myself.” She kissed Ann’s ear and Ann felt herself shudder in response. She remembered Mary saying her body would take over and it was obvious that mysterious process was well underway. 

Descending, they passed the town of Plymouth and saw the Channel. Nigel brought them low along the rocky shore and followed the coast northwest for several miles. Anne pointed out the window to a very small half-ruined castle as Nigel began to circle down to it. Ann could see most of the structure was in ruins, but a portion had been remodeled into a small house. A woman was sitting on a four wheel ATV near an aviation windsock on the grass nearby, waving at them.

**Chapter Eight**

Anne got out of the helicopter first and offered her hand in gentlemanly assistance to Miss Walker who wobbled a bit on the boggy turf. “Oh, I suppose I didn’t bring the right shoes for this!”

“I have boots you can borrow until we get to our lodging. And you didn’t pick incorrectly. Seeing you in those heels has already made my week complete,” Anne winked.

“ Bonne après-midi,  Madame!  Comment était votre vol?”

“Fine, thanks. English, please today, Eugenie. This is Miss Walker, my friend and guest for the weekend.”

In a thick French accent, Eugenie gave a slight formal curtsy. “Very pleased to meet you, Madame.”

Eugenie had tattoos of flames and dragons up the left side of her neck and down her entire left arm. Half her head was shaved, on a diagonal cut, with long black hair on the other half. She had a nose ring and wore combat boots and a utility kilt.

“Would you please take the luggage ahead for us while I show Miss Walker the castle, such as it is?”   


Eugenie clomped off to load the luggage onto the ATV’s trailer and Anne gave Ann her arm to lean on as they walked toward the castle.

“I suppose she was not what you were expecting of my French maid.” 

Ann laughed. “You’re full of surprises, Ms. Lister. Where did you find her?”

“Quite literally under a bridge, if you must know the truth. She’d overdosed and I found her one night when I was walking aimlessly, just to clear my mind. She’s wild and brilliant. Her artwork is all over the place, but I think there’s talent there. I needed someone crazy enough to live out here all alone and keep up the grounds. She needed a place to be exactly who she is. So, voila, my French maid.” 

They reached the stone building and entered a mud room of sorts. Anne pulled a pair of Wellingtons off a shelf and handed them to Ann. “This is just what your outfit was missing,” she laughed. 

“Oh thank you. These are the latest style, even,” Ann replied playfully. She stepped into the rubber monstrosities, her cute knee caps framed between the black miniskirt and the green boots.

Anne carried Ann’s heels by the straps and they climbed stone steps up to a tower that was still mostly intact. The view was breathtaking and the sea brought wind that whipped their hair with a salty mist. Ann gazed over a pebble-beached cove and up the coast to a cliff populated with gulls and puffins. She could see a thatched roof stone cottage with peat smoke rising from its chimney about half a mile beyond the cove, overlooking the cliffs. 

Anne watched her take in the view through a half-wrecked window in the stone and stood behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist and holding her close. She smiled as Ann leaned her head back, exposing her beautiful neck. She gently nuzzled her slender neck and kissed her in the soft space behind her jawline. She felt Ann lean back further into her chest. She placed her hands on each of Ann’s hips, appreciating the curve of her waist.  _ So perfect. _ Anne felt herself thinking about how easy it would be to reach under the skirt or the blouse, but she forced herself to simply caress Ann’s perfect waist for a moment before turning her around. “Shall we walk to the cottage?”   


“No. I insist that you kiss me first.”

“Oh, really?” Anne moved closer, pressing Ann up against the stone wall. “First you take my boots, now you’re ordering me around in my own castle?”

“You call this a castle?”

Anne reached out and grabbed Ann’s delicate jaw and looked straight into her eyes as she pulled Ann’s jaw upward. She pressed her hips into Ann’s and joined their lips together. Ann’s mouth was warm and open and Anne started to explore with her tongue. She held the back of Miss Walker’s neck with her left hand and with her right, she returned to caressing her waist. She could feel Ann start to writhe between her and the wall and the women began to make tiny moaning sounds as their mouths kept seeking each other out more deeply. Anne traced her right hand up the fluttering rib cage of this beautiful woman and used her thumb to trace her nipple through her blouse and bra. Even through the fabric, it quickly became firmly erect. Ann started to grab at Anne’s shirt, fumbling with buttons. But then she stopped. They came up for air and Ann pushed her gently away.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No, no not at all,” Ann said, wiping her lips with her tongue. “I just, um, I just frightened myself a little.”   


Anne gently caressed her cheek. “I would apologize for being too forward, but I was following orders, after all.”

Ann, recovering her composure, slapped her in the arm and said, “Indeed. Well then. I am now ready to be escorted to the  _ chaumiere,” _ she exaggerated the word with a playfully pompous effect.

They walked arm in arm up the coast along a pebbled pathway. Eugenie roared by, standing up on the ATV’s running boards, as she came back from dropping off the luggage. Anne twirled Ann’s high heels around her finger by the straps as she carried them. She found herself wanting to smell them.  _ Get a hold of yourself. _

Ann’s hose-covered feet slipped around in the giant boots. She leaned on Anne’s strong, tall body for balance and it made her feel child-like. As the land rose beneath them, she heard the cries of the seabirds they’d seen from the tower and she knew they were getting close. She squeezed Anne’s arm and smiled up at her. Anne smiled back with her wide open smile and rich brown eyes. 

They came over a slight rise and all at once they were at the cottage. Ann lit up and trotted in her rubber boots to the little stone building. It looked like something out of a Tolkien tale. Small mosses and flowers were growing amongst lichen of varying colors on the stones. The thatching was perfectly groomed. A white wooden door with royal blue trim, and hand-forged knobs and hinges awaited her. 

“Oh, Anne! It’s so cute!!! If I knock, will a hobbit come out to greet me?”

“No, I keep my hobbits back in Yorkshire.”

Ann laughed and let Anne let her in. It was surprisingly spacious inside. A cozy fire was happily crackling near a sofa and recliner. Nearby, a small kitchenette included a cedar table set for two, complete with candles and china. A very well-stocked wine rack hung from exposed stone. A thick shaggy rug covered wide hickory floorboards. At the other end of the cottage was a king sized four-post bed with a luxurious pile of pillows upon it. A small hallway led to a separate bedroom and a bath with a Jacuzzi. A circular set of stairs led to a loft lined with built-in bookshelves where a reading nook and a huge bay window overlooked the cliffs.

“Anne, it’s perfect!”   


“Mmm. Sometimes I think about just locking myself in here for a year or two.”

Anne motioned to the sofa and Ann took a seat. Anne knelt before her, sitting on her own heels, and said, “Let’s be off with these Wellies, shall we?” 

Ann lifted one leg and Ms. Lister gently pulled the tall rubber boot off of her, setting it near the fire to dry. She cupped Ann’s heel in her hand and began to give her a massage, rubbing her strong hands over the arch of Ann’s slender foot. She caressed her calf and then set the foot gently on the floor. She held eye contact as she lifted her other foot and pulled its boot off. This time, she raised the foot, closed her eyes and kissed each toe slowly and deliberately with passion. Ann sat mesmerized by the sight of this handsome (she couldn’t think of a more perfect word for Anne’s style of beauty) lady between her legs, in her form-tight waist coat and billowing sleeves, caressing her foot so passionately next to the fire. She began to feel a familiar rise in her pulse. Anne set her foot down and rose up on her knees to be eye-level. She leaned forward and gave Ann a brief kiss, bringing their chests together. 

Ann felt aroused feeling Anne’s torso between her thighs. She knew her mini-skirt was pushed up nearly to her hips by Anne’s position. She put her hands on Anne’s shoulders and smoothed her palms down the front of her chest, feeling the muscles above her breasts. 

“Mmm. If you keep doing that, I might forget to feed you dinner, my sweet girl.”

Ann played with the top button of Anne’s waistcoat. She leaned forward and breathed into Ms. Lister’s ear “If you keep holding me like this, you’ll make me rather hungry indeed.” 

At that, Anne pushed Ann back into the couch, her lap pushing Miss Walker’s thighs apart, causing the mini-skirt to crumple upwards around Ann’s waist. Anne’s trousered hips were now pressed close against Ann’s pantyhose seam and she could feel her heat through the fabric. 

“Oh God, I want you.” Anne groaned as she moved her hands barely along the curves of Ann’s breasts. Ann felt her hips rising of their own accord, grinding herself into the fabric of Anne’s trousers. She gasped, suddenly overwhelmed with arousal. She raked her fingernails across Anne’s shoulders and took Anne’s ear into her mouth, sucking and nibbling. 

“Ann….I want to...can I….”

“Yes… oh God Anne… I need you…” She couldn’t believe how much she wanted whatever this woman wanted to do to her. All she knew is that she needed her to do it soon.

Anne groaned and slid her hand up the inside of Miss Walker’s thigh. Her hand slid smoothly along the panty hose. Leaning forward, she devoured Ann’s mouth with her own as her left hand slipped under her lower back to press her upward and cant her hips towards her. WIth her right hand, she cupped Ann’s queer through the pantyhose. It was so wet. She was wearing no underwear, only the hose. She rubbed slowly and deeply, allowing the moisture to soak through the hose and gather on her fingers. She brought her hand to her mouth and Ann found herself deeply aroused watching Anne smell and taste her for the first time. Having had a taste of Ann’s scent, Anne’s voice became hoarse with need. 

“I am going to undo your hosiery, Miss Walker.”

“Yes….yes.. Please”

Anne pulled back slightly and bent down to nuzzle Miss Walker’s breasts through her blouse. Ann could feel Ms. Lister’s hand cupping and rubbing her vulva, but not quite able to fully touch her there yet. Anne brought her kisses ever southward, reaching the skirt and continuing onward. Ann gasped as she felt Anne’s breath along her lower belly through the pantyhose. Anne continued slowly rubbing with her hand as her kisses grew ever closer to where they were needed most. Miss Walker put her hands on Anne’s head, her fingers running through the dark straight hair. She moaned “please….”

Anne used her mouth to breathe hot breath onto Ann’s clit through the pantyhose and Ann bucked upward off the sofa. Anne used her shoulders to pin her down and continued to nuzzle her. She pointed her index finger rigidily into the depression where Ann’s vagina opened under the hose. Though she kept her nails short, she knew that with enough pressure, the fabric would tear and yield. She would maintain pressure and let Ann control when or if that would happen. 

Ann started to writhe as she felt the wet heat from Anne’s mouth on her clit and she became aware of the pressure at her entrance. She pushed her hips forward towards the rigid pressure, but the pantyhose was in the way. Anne’s mouth continued work on her lips and clit through the soaked taut fabric. Ann grabbed at Anne’s shoulders and started to pull whilst pushing herself downward towards Anne’s hand. 

She heard Anne whisper “God, I want you…”

Crying out with frustrated lust, Ann thrust her hips again even harder against Anne’s hand and they both gasped as they felt the pantyhose tear and finally, finally, finally grant actual contact. Anne’s finger slid in only a half inch and she quickly grasped the edge of the fabric with her teeth and pulled away the rest of the hose’s crotch entirely.

“Oh god….oh god,” Ann cried as she felt the pantyhose being ripped away.

Then Ann simultaneously felt her clit go fully inside Anne’s warm wet mouth and Anne’s long slender finger go deep inside her own body, curling upward to press exactly the right place. 

She bucked wildly and Anne held her in place with her shoulders, taking up a slow steady rhythm alternating between a thudding pressure on her G Spot and swirls around her clit. They both felt her muscles tightening and coiling as Anne relentlessly continued the alternating pattern.

“Oh god, I’m going to...I’m going to...”

She didn’t finish the sentence. Her body shook violently and her thighs spasmed together around her lover’s head. Ann’s hands flailed out to the sides, grasping at the cushions on the couch. Anne kept moving her tongue and finger.

“No….no more..be still...oh god” She was shaking and sweating.

Anne emerged from between Ann’s thighs and looked up at the sight of her utterly wrecked beautiful lover splayed before her, her skirt crumpled around her stomach, her wet panty hose ripped open in a ragged hole and her chest heaving with deep breaths. She was absolutely gorgeous like this. Ms. Lister kept her still embedded finger completely still, savoring every after-shock and twitch of the tender muscles around it. She was so turned on that she knew a few seconds would be all she’d need for herself. She lay forward again, putting her body between Ann’s thighs and her mouth next to Ann’s ear and she began to touch herself with one hand. She felt Ann’s vagina continue to pulsate around her other hand’s index finger and she came almost instantly, shuddering until her weight slumped over her lover’s body. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their weekend at Anne Lister's chaumiere continues. Ann discovers new joys in life.

**Chapter Nine**

The two women lay like that for many long moments, basking in the afterglow as their breath caught up to them. They shifted position so that they were now laying on the couch together, their thighs intertwined, kissing each other gently and staring at each other’s eyes.

  
“Anne, the way you came…. inside me...I could feel your breath in my ear….”

  
“Hmmmm. You’ve made me very, very happy, Miss Walker. I could get lost for a long time, discovering you. And I intend to.”

  
They kissed again. “But we should probably feed ourselves dinner at some point.” Anne smiled widely, her full lips revealing her large white teeth and sat up, pulling Ann up with her. She stood, smoothing down her half-unbuttoned waistcoat and pulled her hair free from the now-wrecked low-pony then offered Ann her hand. Ann rose as well, pushed her skirt back into place and straightened her blouse. They stood face to face, holding both their hands between them.

“My delectable and divine Miss Walker,” Anne began with her rich velvety voice, extending her arm towards the kitchenette less than ten feet away, “shall we retire to the dining room? The evening is still young and you’ve only made me hungrier.”

  
Ann laughed. “My dashing and debonair Ms. Lister, I am not presentable for dinner in the state you’ve left me. May I shower and join you in ten minutes?”

  
Ms Lister kissed the back of her hand and led her past the large bed to the small hallway and showed her the bathroom. Her luggage was on the bed in the adjoining guest room. “You’ll find everything you need in here. And please, do call if I can help, if there are areas which need special attention” she added roguishly. Ann playfully smacked her bottom as Ms Lister left.

She redid her low-pony, turned on some soft classical music, and began whistling aimlessly as she opened the fridge to see what Eugenie had left for them. It was well stocked indeed. She cocked her head and thought for a moment before bringing out a pair of beautiful filets mignon. A collection of spring greens, radishes, cherry tomatoes, carrots and potatoes were on the counter in a basket along with a fresh loaf of crusty bread and an assortment of olives and cheeses.

She turned on the oven, put the bread in to warm, and got the gas going on the stove, adding a splash of oil to a cast iron skillet. She seasoned the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Once the oil was quite hot she lay the steaks in the pan along with a couple sprigs of rosemary and thyme. She set out glasses of Pinot Noir and a small platter of olives and cheese for Ann and lit the candles. She smiled as she listened to the sounds of Ann humming in the shower. _II wish I were in there too._ She seared the steaks on all sides then added a bit of butter. Laying the herbs across the steaks, she was busy basting them with the pan juices when her lover emerged in a simple black cocktail dress, her wet golden hair falling over her shoulders. Anne seated the elegant woman at the table in the kitchenette, kissing her on the neck and winking before returning to the stove.

“It smells wonderful, Anne! I didn’t guess you could cook as well!”

  
“Yes, I can cook. Steak. I cook steak. And, um, scrambled eggs. Oh, and I can do toast as well. I’m afraid that’s the entirety of my repertoire.”

  
Ann laughed and sipped her wine, watching Anne work, her sleeves rolled up her forearms. She added a bit of cream, shallots, garlic and mushrooms to the hot skillet and then, with a bit of drama, she poured in a good helping of cognac, causing an instant fireball.  
“Oooh!” Ann exclaimed.

  
Anne dramatically bowed low from her waist, flourishing with the handtowel she’d been using to grasp the skillet. Ann laughed and threw an olive at her.  
“I get no respect,” Anne said, shaking her head as she began to baste the flambeed sauce over the steaks. After a brief time, she set the steaks on plates to rest and drizzled the sauce over them, garnishing with the herbs. She tossed a simple salad with a touch of balsamic and salt and pepper and brought the bread out of the oven.

The two women dined and flirted, sipping wine and playing with their feet beneath the intimate two-seat table. Waves crashing on the cliffs occasionally broke through the soft music. In a quiet lull, Ann noticed Anne’s eyes grow troubled.  
“What is it?”

  
“Nothing.”

  
“Tell me or I shall pelt you with another olive.”

  
Anne laughed. “Really it’s not anything interesting. This past day or so, I’ve been utterly preoccupied with the thought of your visit. And tonight has been,” her dark eyes stared intently into Anne’s blues,”easily the finest evening I’ve had in twenty years or more.”

  
“But?”

  
“No ‘but.’ You just caught me at the precise moment my brain rudely reminded me that the rest of the world still exists and that I’m in a tough spot with a mining deal in Africa…..Anyway, it’s nothing interesting and I have given my brain a stern talking-to about the dangers of interrupting my time with you here. I’ve threatened it with hours of editing Asian shipping spreadsheets on Monday if it intrudes again. I think it will behave from now on.”

  
“Mining in Africa? Would this be your tantalum deal?”

  
Anne sat back in her chair, shocked. “How did you..?”

  
“You were discussing it on the phone when I first came to your office. I remember that first moment with you quite well.” Ann smiled and played with a sprig of rosemary. “Just because I’m staring at you lustfully doesn’t mean I’m not also listening. What is tantalum anyway?”

“It’s a specialty metal. It’s used for something called capacitors.”

  
“Ah yes, capacitors,” Ann smiled. “It might surprise you to know, Ms. Lister, that your date knows a fair bit about capacitors. In fact I have much to share with you concerning our turbine project along those lines.”

  
“Do I have to threaten you with spreadsheets, too?”

  
“Is that what you do to all the girls you find to be naughty?”

  
 _This woman is going to be the blissful death of me,_ Anne thought as she abruptly stood up. “No, I find much more interesting things to do with naughty girls.” She smiled lasciviously. “ I only threaten spreadsheets to girls who wish to discuss tantalum capacitors after I’ve cooked a sexy meal for them.” She got up and came behind Ann’s chair, tracing her fingers along Ann’s neck.

  
“Well, you do have a point there. The flambee was pretty hot.”

  
“Hmmm.” Anne said as she leaned down and began to nibble at Ann’s ear.  
“I suppose we could talk about….other things….for awhile.” Anne gently brought her hand to the column of Ann’s throat, sending a shiver down Ann’s body. “I mean, we could probably find time...to talk …..later….about turbines….Ms. Lister...…” Anne was now sucking at the soft space behind Ann’s jaw.

  
“Come dance with me, Miss Walker.” She let Anne lead her from the table towards the center of the room. Ann had a dreamy look on her face as she put her arms over Anne’s shoulders. The two women began to sway with the music. Anne pulled the smaller woman by the waist close to her own body.

“You feel so good in my arms, Ann. I shan’t ever forget this evening. You are so sexy, so beautiful ....These past several years, I’ve happily kept to myself and now you’ve just marched right into my heart like you’ve always owned it. Are we going too fast?”

“I don’t know. I don’t care. I have never felt this way before. I love how you feel. I love how you smell. I love how you look in that waistcoat. I love how easy and free I feel with you. I can’t believe how wild you drove me earlier. I’m not usually so open.”

  
Anne curled her lips up. “So to speak.”  
Ann playfully slapped Anne’s buttocks. “You’re….”  
“I know. Incorrigible.”  
“Yes. Exactly.  
“So you’ve told me.”  
“Mmmm.”

  
Anne placed her hands along the curve of Ann’s waist, grasping her firmly and felt her own pulse rise as Ann let herself be pulled forward, her head tilting back. Soon, the older woman was again kissing Miss Walker’s neck passionately. The two women had stopped swaying with the music and their hands were grasping at each other all at once. Anne started tugging the cocktail dress upward, cupping Ann’s firm round buttocks and squeezing them with urgency.  
“God, I want you.”

  
Ann abruptly pushed her away and smoothed down her dress.

  
“Not so fast this time, my hungry lady. I have some requests to make.”

  
“Anything,” Ms Lister said in a low dangerous voice, “absolutely anything.”

  
“Well, well well. I see I have more power here than I thought.” The smaller woman reached up and grabbed Anne’s chin with her hand and used it to steer and push Anne backwards toward the bed, all the while keeping her eyes locked. With her other hand, she started unbuttoning the tight waistcoat. She enjoyed watching the bare lust in Anne’s dark eyes, knowing she had caused it. Reaching the edge of the bed, she pushed Anne back onto it and immediately got up to straddle her hips.

  
Anne groaned and grabbed at Ann’s hips. Nothing in the world felt better than a beautiful woman straddling her like this. _This girl is driving me crazy._

Almost immediately, Ann tore the other woman’s hands away from her waist and shoved them into the mattress above Anne’s head. She squeezed them again, making it clear she wanted Ms Lister to keep her hands there.

  
“What did I just tell you? I’m in charge at the moment. You’re being rather insolent. Am I not pleasing you?” Ann ground her hips down onto Anne’s lap, her dress creeping up her thighs, her hands playing with her own breasts. She could hardly believe herself. _Where is this lusty confidence coming from? What's gotten into me?_

  
Anne groaned.  
“I asked you a question, Anne Lister. Am I pleasing you?”

  
Anne’s breath caught and she hoarsely croaked “yes….”

  
“Yes, what? I can barely hear you.”

  
“Yes. Yes you are pleasing me very much. I want to do exactly as you say.”

  
“Good. Very good. Keep your hands above your head. You may touch me only when I say so.”

  
This was a new experience for Ms Lister, her hands tied by invisible bonds above her head on the mattress, utterly under the control of another woman. She felt her own arousal flooding between her thighs.

  
Ms. Walker began to ride her slowly, tilting her head back, cupping her own breast with one hand, the other pressing into Anne’s belly. Anne’s hips involuntarily began rising upward in rhythm with her lover’s movements. They found each other’s pace and soon they were both making small noises from the depths of their throats. Then Ann opened her eyes and stopped her movements, leaning forward, her breasts against Anne’s and her face inches away from hers. Her blue eyes seemed to take on the color of a storm and she held Ann’s gaze with an intensity that made Anne stopped breathing.

  
“Now, I am going to undress you. You are to remain still for now. Would you like that?”

  
Anne nodded weakly, transfixed.  
Ann sat back again and smiled. “You’re not used to not being in control, are you”  
“No.”  
“Do you trust me?”  
“Yes.”  
“If you are good, I will let you do what you wish to me later,” Ann said as she finished unbuttoning the waistcoat. She placed her hand along Anne’s neck and traced her fingers along her collarbones, playing with the blood red pendant necklace before unbuttoning the white silk dress shirt very, very slowly. She let the fabric fall to either side and Anne’s small breasts were exposed. She felt her body flush as she saw Anne’s breasts for the first time as there was no bra.

Anne was breathing faster now, her nipples already hard with arousal, became even more sensitive with open air upon them. Ann Walker leaned forward. Her still wet golden hair splashed over Anne’s chest as she ghosted her lips over her left nipple. Anne found herself arching her back as if her body had a will of its own. She made a guttural sound as she watched her nipple disappear into her lover's mouth. Ann began to gently nibble and suck and swirl her tongue.

  
She had never kissed another woman’s breast before and she found it incredibly erotic and delicious. She loved the taste of this firm, small erection and how her movements with her mouth caused Anne’s body to arch and shiver. How good it felt to be able to take her time and just do what felt right. This felt so very right indeed. She felt her own wetness soaking into Ann’s lap and felt an incredible urge to touch and taste every bit of this woman.

  
Anne was trying not to lose control. Every fiber of her being wanted to release herself from the invisible ties around her hands, flip Ann over and ravish her properly. Her body was exquisitely tortured by having Miss Walker in control, but she didn’t know long she could last like this.

Ann shifted a bit on top of her and Anne gasped as she felt her lover’s hands undoing her belt buckle and trouser zipper as she continued to suck at her nipple.

  
“Oh God, Ann…..let me….. I need to touch you.”

  
“Not yet. This is my first time and I’m not going to have it interrupted.”

  
They held each other’s eyes for a moment, breathing hard. “Your first time?”

  
“My first time with a woman. Well, my second, thanks to you. I mean this is my first time ….doing things to another woman....I’ve wanted...to do…” Ann was moving downward, kissing Anne’s belly and tugging at her trousers. “I want to kiss you…..here.”

  
Anne bucked upward, feeling her hot breath on her thighs. She was still locked onto the mattress with her thighs pressed hard together as her petit lover was still straddling her legs.

  
Ann buried her face in the dark curls which were rather wet by now. She inhaled a sweet musky perfume. So different than the men she’d been with. She felt suddenly frantic with lust and got off of Anne’s legs, stood up and grabbed her hands, pulling Anne to stand as well. She let Anne’s trousers and plaid boxers fall around her ankles. The belt buckle made a clink as it hit the wood floor. Ann knelt before her beautiful, strong lover and said “You may not move but you can place your hands where you wish.”

Anne was panting, her small breasts exposed with her waistcoat and her shirt, sleeves still rolled up, completely unbuttoned and her drawers around her ankles. She looked down at the kneeling blonde before her and traced her hand along her jawline. “Ann...it’s been so long...you’re so beautiful…”

Miss Walker brushed her long hair out of the way over one shoulder and held eye contact as she brought her mouth to Ann’s dark curls again. She grasped Ann’s firm, somewhat bony ass cheeks in each hand as she started to work her tongue between her folds.

Ms Lister threw her head back and groaned as she felt the contact. It was immediately obvious that though this may be her first time pleasuring a woman, it was not the first time Miss Walker had kneeled to use her mouth on someone. Anne was so turned on that it wasn’t long before she was unconsciously grabbing Ann’s head, fingers buried in the wet golden curls and rocking her hips in rhythm with her lovers mouth.

Ann was in ecstasy as well. She couldn’t get enough. She tasted every nook and cranny and delighted in the salty cream she found as she entered her lover’s vagina with her tongue, lapping up everything she could. She returned again and again to her clitoris, remembering what Anne had done to her own just a few hours earlier. She loved how she could feel the reactions of her lover’s body and knew exactly and precisely what she was feeling because she had felt it too. She was lost in the thrill of bringing Anne to climax and found her own breath matching Anne’s. She felt her own wetness start to drip down her thigh. _God this is amazing. It’s like I’m giving and receiving at the same time._

  
Anne’s hands gripped her head harder and pulled her tight, holding her still over a very particular place. Ann focused her energy there, sucking and swirling, feeling the orgasm building in her lover’s body. She quickly moistened her finger with mouth and still holding Anne’s buttocks firmly, she began to gently tease her anus with her moistened finger. It was something that she’d done with boyfriends and it had the same effect. Anne’s hips bucked forward frantically. The unexpected touch sent her over the edge and she came hard into Ann’s mouth, crying out in ragged, husky “hnng”s and “agh”s.

Ann let her lover spend her aftershocks with her tongue firm but still, pressing into her. She loved feeling Ms. Lister’s gluteal muscles work spastically and her hands clawing clumsily at the sides of her face as she felt her lover’s clitoris coming out then retracting again under its hood as the most private of muscles contracted. Ann found her own body reacting similarly and with the quickest of touches for herself, she came, too, having been more aroused than she could ever remember.

As their shuddering slowed, Ann stood up and kissed her lover, looping her hands behind Anne’s neck and pushing her body close against the taller, now completely undone woman.

“Oh God, what did you do to me?” Anne was still breathing hard as she tucked Ann’s hair behind her ear and ran her thumb over her lips and cheeks, wet from her work.

“I think I might be gay,” Miss Walker said.

  
They both laughed so hard they fell on the mattress and continued giggling, face to face on their sides playing with their fingers and staring into each other’s eyes. They stayed like that for hours, cuddling and kissing before falling asleep.


	4. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne decides to take Ann for a ride in the country. Definitely NSFW.

**Chapter 10**

Ann Walker awoke, disoriented in the chaumiere’s four poster bed. She stretched out, realizing she was still in her cocktail dress, and found the bed empty. The memories of the previous night came to her instantly. _Good Lord._ The light in the stone cabin was weak through the small windows and she could hear waves crashing somewhere outside. She rubbed her eyes and felt parched in her throat. Somewhere, she heard a faint clicking noise. She sat up and looked around, getting her bearings. _Is this real? Did this happen?_

Looking around, she couldn’t find her lover at first, until she followed the sound of the soft noises and saw that Anne was up the circular stairs in the loft typing on her laptop, her face lit by the bay window. Her face was intent on the screen as her long fingers tapped at the keyboard, unaware she was being watched. Ann admired her strong jawline and noticed she had changed into a plush white robe, her wet hair hanging down into her face. _I suppose she’s adding to her diary. I wonder if she’s writing about last night._ She saw Anne’s jaw tense and her typing pause as she reviewed something she had written. 

Anne pushed back from the desk and looked out the window for a long moment, believing herself to be unobserved. She had been trying to capture what had occurred thus far on this little trip to the coast but was frustrated. Writing in her code was slowing her down and her emotions kept intruding. _I am becoming a little frightened of Miss W,_ she wrote. _I can’t allow myself to be hurt again. This is all very ill-advised. But can I stop myself?_

She shut the laptop and stood up, taking in the view of the sea, her hands in the pockets of her robe, her hair wet from a shower.

“Anne?”  
She turned and looked down over the railing to the bed where her lover was looking up at her, still in her dress, her hair a mess and her face crumpled adorably from sleep. 

“Good morning, my lovely girl. It’s half ten. I hope you dreamt sweet dreams.”

“Mmmm. I slept so deeply….I don’t think I dreamt a thing. Have you been up for long?”  
“I’m always up early, whether I wish to be or not,” Anne said as she started to descend the stairs. “I’ll make you scrambled eggs. And toast. I can do toast.”

Ann laughed. “After last night’s dinner, your line about only being able to do a few things in the kitchen does not ring true, you rogue.”

“Hmmm. Well, a lady has to have some secrets.”

“You call yourself a lady?”  
Anne laughed. “Of course I’m a lady. I’m a woman. I’m a lady woman. Sure.” 

“You’re definitely my kind of lady woman. But no need to cook. I’m not much of a breakfast person. A couple scones and clotted cream and I’ll be well served indeed.”

Anne Lister smiled and bent down and kissed her lover. “I didn’t have the heart to wake you. I hope you brought something casual as I’d asked. Jeans, perhaps? I’d like to take you for a ride today.”

“Another ride already?” 

“Indeed. No rest for you, m’lady.” She gave Ann’s bottom a playful squeeze as Ann Walker got out of bed and headed for the shower, leaving Anne to her coffee. 

Once in the bathroom, Ann smiled as she once again found herself washing her soaked silk panties and hanging them to dry before getting into shower. _This is quickly becoming a habit._ She turned on the shower and stood under the hot steam, remembering every moment of the night before.

In the kitchen, Anne used her cell and began speaking in French, “Yes, good morning Eugenie. Thank you, the steaks were perfect. Bring Jolene up to the cottage, will you? Quietly, please.” She clicked off and put the scones out on the table along with clotted cream, tea, milk, honey and juice. 

They flirted over breakfast a little, but were mostly silent, just smiling at each other between bites. 

“So what do you have planned today, Ms Lister?”

“I told you. I’m taking you for a ride. Do you trust me?”

“I’ll follow you anywhere, after these scones.”

“Hmmm. Well this is not a trip to a luxurious scene, I’ll warn you.”

“Not like your extravagant ‘castle’ then?” 

“No. But, this place has four walls. And a roof as well, I’ll have you know.”

“And shall I wear the Wellies again?”

“Not unless you failed to bring along something more sensible than those strappy heels.”

“You said you liked them.”

“I did say that, and as you recall, I removed the Wellies from your feet as soon as I had the chance,” Ann blushed at the memory as Anne continued, “but for today, anything but heels will work splendidly.”  
“As you wish,” Ann said as she offered a bit of scone coated in cream to Anne’s lips.

After breakfast, Anne disappeared to dress. Miss Walker decided to open the door of the chaumiere, letting the sea breeze brush her hair. She had chosen stretchy jeans with simple loafers and she’d stolen one of Anne's white oxford shirts, baggy around the shoulders on her small frame. She breathed the sea air in and watched the seagulls hunt. Soon, she heard crunching noises approaching on the gravel. 

“Good morning Eugenie!” 

Surprised, Eugenie looked up as she pushed an all-black custom Indian Scout Bobber up to the cottage and threw the kick stand down. The bike was low and sleek and sexy with chrome and black leather fittings.

“Bonjour, Miss Walker. Did you have an evening with good beauty?”

Ann heard the thick accent and broken English and responded, “Oui, c'était délicieux, merci.”

“Enjoy this day, madame.” Eugenie responded in English and left the motorcycle behind, walking back down the coast in torn blue jeans, her wild hair blowing in the wind.

Ann smiled. She was circling the motorcycle with admiration when Anne walked out wearing a black leather jacket, black boot-cut jeans and shit-kicking black Doc Martens.. She carried two helmets in her hands.

“I see you have met my Jolene.”

“Ah, is that this beauty’s name?”

“What can I say, I have a secret fondness for Dolly Parton.” She shut the cottage door and handed Ann a helmet. Swinging her leg over the bike, she straddled the wide, low seat, disengaged the kickstand and kicked the engine into a full roar before extending her hand to her date.

Ann laughed. _This is too much. I’m dating James Dean._

She took Anne’s hand and settled herself into the small seat behind her, strapping on her helmet. Ann motioned for her to click on a button and then she could hear her voice in the earphones within the helmet. Anne revved the engine and said, “Hang on, darling.”

Pebbles shot out from the rear tire as they took off over the gravel and then the grass, traveling inland towards the nearest road. Ann wrapped her hands around Anne’s chest as Anne leaned forward to accelerate. 

Bouncing over rough ground, they found pavement after a few hundred yards and Anne steered northwest along the coast road.

Miss Walker felt Anne’s torso work as she steered the motorbike over the narrow roadways, speeding well beyond the limit, but expertly handling the bike as they leaned into the turns. 

Sheep and cattle grazed on either side as they passed farms and hamlets. 

“Hold close, this bit is twisty.” 

Ann could feel her lover’s breathing and every muscle with her hands pressed against her chest under Anne’s leather jacket. She found herself exhilarated rather than frightened as they swung the bike through curve after curve along the coastal road, waves crashing below them to their left. 

During a straight section, as the road turned inland for awhile, Ann couldn’t resist using her palms to feel Ms Lister’s torso and tight abdomen, occasionally sinking lower to toy with the top of her jeans’ waistline. She slipped her fingers between shirt buttons to get better access, feeling the curve of Anne’s breasts. 

“You do realize that if you make me lose my concentration, I might wreck us both,” Anne said through their helmet earphones.

“And you do realize that you are the one who put me here, pressed behind you straddling a huge motor with both my hands free. I hardly think you are in a position to complain,” Ann cheekily replied, while giving Anne a playful nipple squeeze, “I mean, surely, we could alight and walk if you feel it necessary for our safety.”

“Hmmm.” 

Ann felt the bike speed up as they cruised down a long hill towards a small dilapidated farm. As they approached, Anne suddenly applied the brakes hard and held her heel out to steady the bike as she swung in a hard curve off the pavement and behind a half-ruined barn, spewing gravel. She skidded to a stop and shoved the kick stand down, quickly killing the engine.

“Get off,” she growled.

Ann obliged and dismounted. 

Before she could even take her helmet off, Ms Lister was upon her, shoving her against the backside of the barn. She tore the helmet off of Ann’s head and began to kiss her roughly, dropping both their helmets onto the boggy ground. She grasped her neck and jaw between both her hands. As she continued to kiss her, she reached under her own favorite shirt, which Ann was wearing, and began to grope her breasts through her bra. She smiled as she heard Miss Walker begin to pant.

“Ah, not so sassy now, are we, Miss Walker?”  
Ann gasped as she felt the firmness of Anne’s hand cupping her through her jeans. Anne shoved her heels apart and pressed herself to the younger woman’s body. She relished the heated response that came immediately. Ann was writhing under her touch. She pressed her hips into Ann’s and Ann let out a surprised “oh” as she felt a firm bulge under Anne’s jeans, unmistakable in its contours.

“That’s right. I told you I wanted to take you for a ride this morning. I had planned a nice visit to a little inn, but you got impatient, so here we are, against a sheep barn.” She continued to grope Ann’s breasts and thrust her hips into her, kissing her neck.

Ann was whimpering now, her mind racing and her body utterly given over to whatever Ms Lister had in mind.

“Turn around.” Ann did, and felt the rough boards of the barn under her palms and cheek as the taller woman pushed her into the wood. She heard unzipping noises and could sense her lover making adjustments behind her. She turned to look.

“No. I said turn around. You are the one being insolent now,” Anne said in a low voice. “I was very good last night and followed your instructions, did I not?”

“Ah….” Ann whispered as she felt Anne reaching around to undo her jeans’ button and zipper. 

“I said, was I not a good lass for you last night?”

“Yes. You were. Very good.”

“And what, exactly did you promise me if I was good and held still for you?”

“Um…” Ann’s breath hitched as her lover pulled her pants and underwear down and pulled her hips backwards roughly.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that, Miss Walker.” Anne was now between her spread thighs, grasping her waist and Miss Walker felt very exposed, her bare buttocks in the cool breeze and her vulva suddenly very, very wet.

“I, um, promised you could do whatever you wanted to me.”

“That’s right, you did promise that, didn’t you?” Anne was moving a thick silicone appendage along the inside of Ann’s thigh now and Ann’s fingernails were digging into the wood of the barn.

“Here’s what I want to do to you, then. I want to take you. Hard. Here. In this field behind this barn. And I want you to ask me to do it.” She was sliding the tip of the silicone cock along Ann’s slick folds with one hand and holding her waist tight with the other. She could feel the younger woman start to try to push back onto her, breathing hard.

“No. I said you must ask first.” Ann groaned, feeling like an animal in this barnyard, her ass exposed, her forearms pressed against a barn’s wall, a woman’s huge cock waiting behind her. She could feel the girth of it and Anne’s hand firmly holding her still, not letting her move backwards as she wanted to.

“Yes…”

“Yes, what?”

“Please….I do...I want you to…. Please…”

Anne looked down at her lover’s beautiful buttocks and held her waist with both hands as she slowly slid her hips forward, her cock positioned well. She heard Ann inhale sharply as the tip of it barely entered her. She stopped at this exquisite moment and looked down again, wanting to watch what would happen next. Very, very slowly, she pushed forward, watching the plaything disappear as Miss Walker threw her head back and cried “Oh God, Anne!” Anne slowly slid all the way to the hilt and then stayed perfectly still for a moment as Ann made strange, low noises, reacting to being stretched and filled so completely.

After a moment of stillness, each of them feeling electric with anticipation, Anne leaned forward and whispered in her lover’s ear. “Is it too much?”  
“Oh...no...it’s good...go slowly though.”

Anne smiled and spread kisses over Ann’s back, slowly withdrawing her cock and then slowly advancing again. She reached underneath and began to tease Ann’s clit with her left hand while caressing her back with the other. Soon, she felt Miss Walker begin to assert a rhythm of her own, pressing back on the cock, causing Anne to feel pressure in just the right place as the rubber met her own body.

“Oh God, Ann, you are so perfect. Tell me if it hurts. I want to come inside you like this. I want to take you just like this.”

Ann groaned deeply as Ms. Lister began to take up a firmer rhythm. “Touch yourself,” she said hoarsely as she placed each hand on the perfect curves of Ann’s waist and watched herself slide in and out of the beautiful woman bent over before her. She started slowly and deliberately, pulling out to just the tip before thrusting forward again, gently. Ann responded by pushing her bottom backwards as she took the full length of the toy, pressing its base against Anne’s mound. 

The two women behind the barn were lost in this rhythm, shielded from view of passing traffic. Anne watched Ann’s hands on the wall, the veins on her hand standing out as she used the leverage to meet Ann’s thrusts. Miss Walker was using her other hand on herself and began to quicken her ride on Anne’s cock. Anne felt the change and felt overcome with lust. She moaned and began to move her hips hard, smacking her thighs against Ann’s bottom with each stroke. Obscene, wet noises joined the smacking sound and Anne’s grip on Ann’s waist became a vise. Leaning forward again, she said “You are so sexy. Come for me baby. Take me all the way in. Come on my cock….” She pulled Ann’s hair so that her neck was exposed and began to lick and bite at the smooth skin as she pounded into her from behind. 

Ann was grunting by now, her thighs spread, another woman taking her hard from behind, her head tilted back, her neck being ravished. She felt her climax building as she rubbed herself clumsily, her body being rocked by each penetration. “Oh God, I’m going to come...don’t stop….fuck me…God, don’t stop...”

Anne threw herself into her own pleasure now, feeling the base of the toy slide and press against her as she moved. She stared down at the gorgeous sight of Ann’s buttocks as she fucked her hard, causing small ripples in the flesh. She could see her lover arching and tensing….so close she was now… and then suddenly she felt Ann’s whole body spasm. Involuntarily, Anne’s hips went into hyperdrive, plunging herself deep into the other woman, the dildo’s base sliding and pressing into her own body. She pressed in to the hilt and came hard, her hips bucking against Ann’s buttocks. Ann cried out, raising her body and pressing her entire torso against the wall as she remained impaled by Anne who had encircled her from behind, shuddering.

Anne now was running her hands under Ann’s shirt up and down her torso and breasts and kissing her neck, whispering into her ear as she continued to feel the contractions of Ann’s vagina move the cock in tiny shudders, transmitting those small motions to her own clit. Both of their bodies were wired to each other in this overstimulated moment and they stood that way for a long moment as the aftershocks subsided.

“You are gorgeous, my sexy girl. I’ve wanted to do this since the first moment I saw you. Did I hurt you?”

“Good lord no...you did everything just right….the best I’ve ever had...again.”  
Sliding out of her, Anne removed the cock from its harness and zipped her pants. Ann turned around to face her. Gently putting her hands over Anne’s to guide them, she brought the soaking wet toy to her lips.

Anne watched, mesmerized as her date kept eye contact and opened her mouth, guiding it between her lips. She was able to take more than half of it and sucked off the juices, then using her tongue on its shaft to clean it. 

Ms Lister put the dildo into an inner pocket of her black leather jacket and kissed Ann gently but deeply, their tongues gliding together in the taste of Ann’s sex. _This woman is incredible._

Holding hands they walked back to the bike and put their helmets on. Ann kicked the engine into its velvety roar and helped her date on behind her.

“I love the ride you’re taking me on, Ms Lister,” Ann said, holding onto Anne’s chest from behind as they drove at a leisurely pace through the rolling countryside.

“Hmmm. And I still have one of my favorite places to show you,” Anne said, leaning Jolene into the next curve.

____________________________________

  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Chapters 11 and 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Ann's weekend on the Cornish coast continues.

**Chapter 11**

They rode in silence for a while, bodies close together, as Jolene took them through the Cornish countryside. Anne loved the feel of her date leaning close against her back as she drove. She had never had a lover so perfectly matched to her before. And she was a good match socially and intellectually as well.  _ What am I so afraid of, then? Getting hurt, obviously. She has never been with a woman before. It’s one thing to have a romantic fling, but it’s another thing entirely to expect a lover to be ‘out’ as a lesbian and to have a full relationship in full view of colleagues, friends and family. Surely, I have learned that lesson by now? I will enjoy this weekend but come Monday, I must be ready for the inevitable. _

Frowning, she gunned the engine as they climbed a steep hill. She felt Ann’s hands press into her chest against the acceleration.  _ Don’t hurt me. _

“Anne,”

“Mm?

  
“Anne, where are we going next? Do I get a clue?”

“There’s a pub I’ve frequented for years, ever since a friend took me there for the first time...it must have been twenty years ago now. It’s why I bought property here, in fact. I’ve always felt at home there, though I can’t explain why. There’s nothing particularly special about it.”

“If it’s special to you, it will be so for me, I’m sure.”

Anne took one hand off the handlebars to squeeze Ann’s. “Don’t have high expectations, it really is just a pub.”

They slowed as they reached a small village and Anne pulled the motorbike up to a pub, The  _ Thirty Third Reprobates _ . 

“What an odd name! Do you know the story of it?” Ann said as she dismounted, removed her helmet, and tossed her hair.

“Something to do with an infantry unit during the American Revolution, but I’ve forgotten the details.”

They walked towards the door when a very cute young woman with short dark hair and huge brown eyes came out of the pub carrying a backpack and sporting suspenders and a loosely knotted tie over a button-up shirt. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Anne and Ann.

“Is that you, Ann?”

“Oh,my goodness! What are you doing here? I thought you were at Dannon College these days!”

“I am! I’m on sabbatical in London for research. Just decided I’d take a weekend off in the country to prepare some coursework for my NDLU Masters students. How are you? Have you seen Mary and Emma lately?”

Anne Lister shifted her gaze back and forth.  _ This was unexpected, indeed _ . She cleared her throat.

“Oh I’m so rude. Anne, this is Professor Alexandra Hollowbrook. She’s a friend of my niece’s. She teaches….um….cultural studies, isn’t it?” Alex nodded . “And Alex, this is my, um, friend, Anne Lister. We’re here for a little getaway ourselves.”

Anne strode forward and shook Alex’s hand. “Delighted to meet you. Have we caught you on the way out?”

“Sadly yes. I wish we had better timing! I’d love to catch up. It’s been ages, hasn’t it, Ann?”

“Then I must insist you join us for brunch tomorrow. We’re at a cottage on the coast southeast of here.” She wrote a number down on some paper. “Here, call my groundskeeper, Eugenie, and she’ll arrange transport for you. Or directions if you have a car with you. Would ten suit you?”

“I wouldn’t want to intrude”

Ann beamed, “Don’t be silly! We’d love to have you over!” Alex noted that Ann was standing very close to the taller woman. 

“Well, I guess it's a plan, then. Thanks! Great bike, by the way,” Professor Hollowbrook said, giving a low whistle as she walked off.

Anne guided Ann through the pub door by the waist and asked her, “What is an NDLU Masters?”

“I have no idea.”

They walked into the pub and Anne steered them to a booth. It was a rather typical British pub with lots of dark wood and football posters. Farm hands and lorry drivers were stooped over their pints. Several looked up to give a welcoming nod to Anne, clearly recognizing her. As they sat down, the barkeep came around quickly.

“Anne Lister! Wassun me cock? I thought you’d finally run yourself off a cliff somewhere!”

“Alright, Pete. Bleddy buggar. This is Ann Walker. And Ann, this is Pete Trelawney. He owns this place, such as it is.”

“How do, Miss Walker. Chacking for a pint? Course, if you rode in on a motorbike with this fool, you’ll be needing something stronger than we got in this kiddlywink.”

“Yeah, two pints and we’ll take a teddy oggy or two, if you’ve got it.” 

“Dreckly.” Pete smiled and sauntered back to the kitchen

. “Um, what just happened?” 

Anne laughed and took off her leather jacket, settling into the booth. “Just ordered us a little something to eat. It’s a local potato pasty. Pete does a proper job of them.”

Ann looked around at the rough men in the small pub. The floor was dirty from their boots. “So, this is your place.”

“Yes. I used to play cards here all night long. Been awhile since, but I still catch some poker here from time to time.”

Pete returned with three pints of ale and playfully shoved Anne deeper into the booth, sitting beside her. He pushed the other two pints to the women and raised his own with a “Yeghas da!” before draining half of his in one long pull. “So Anne, me love, please tell me your friend here is looking for ‘ansome barkeeps for some lovin’ company. You’re truly a beauty, Miss Walker.”

“Yes, she is that. And no, she’s quite taken.”

The women locked eyes and Ann blushed.

“Oh, it’s like that, is it?” Pete drained the rest of his pint and stood up, slapping Anne on the shoulder, roaring with laughter. “Giss on, how do you manage it?”

“Too easy, in fact.”

After Pete left, Ann kicked Anne under the table. “Too easy am I?”

“Hmmm. But I’m not complaining,” Anne said, raising her pint to her lips.

Ann grew quiet for a moment before saying “These men….they all know...about you?”

“Sure. Does that surprise you?”

“Have they given you any problems? I mean aren’t you ever worried about people… talking?”

  
Anne reached across the table, taking Ann’s hands into hers. “My gorgeous girl, I shouldn’t have put you in a position where you're uncomfortable. But you’re safe here. I’ve been out since I was a teenager. I forget sometimes that it takes a little courage.”

Ann chewed her lip, looking down at their hands clasped together here in such a public place. Anne felt her heart plummet as she saw her date was clearly not comfortable holding hands like this. She sat back in the booth, letting her hands go.  _ Damn, I knew it. _

Pete came back with the pasties. “Anne, you should’ve told me you were back from up country. Last game, you left a lot of the lads wanting a chance to win back some money.”

“I’ll bet I did. Thanks, Pete.”

Pete noticed the mood had changed and took his cue to withdraw.

The two women silently tucked into their lunch, both of them thinking about what was happening between them. 

“Anne, I’m so sorry. I’m just not used…”

“No, Ann. Don’t be. It’s my fault. I’ve gone too fast. This time with you has been the finest time I’ve had in decades. You’ve never been with a woman before and I completely understand. If I’m a weekend fling, I’m still a very happy woman right now, more than you could know.”

“No! You’re not a fling! I’ve never felt this way before. I just...don’t know what it all means….I mean I’m not ready...for….well, for people to know something so private...something that I’m just sorting out myself.”

“It’s ok. Look, I’m sorry, too, for having invited your friend, the professor, to the chaumiere tomorrow. It didn’t occur to me I might be outing you to her. I’m sure we can back out of it easily.”

Miss Walker laughed. “No need to apologize! My niece, Mary, is gay. She teaches literature at Tufts. She and her partner Emma introduced me to Alex a few years ago. I’m ok with her knowing about us. Mary and I are quite close. We had a good talk before I said yes to your invitation for the weekend. To be honest, with the way things were going between us..I was just so nervous I wouldn’t know what to do...you know, in bed.”

At this, Anne spewed some beer out with laughter. “You were worried you wouldn’t know what to do?!? You should teach your own course! By God, what did she tell you?”

“She said to let my body lead me where it will. And it surely has.”

“I’m rather fond of your body, Miss Walker.”

“Only my body?” Ann said, squeezing Anne’s thigh under the table.

Anne Lister opened her mouth to continue with their banter but then stopped and looked down, her jaw suddenly tense, her hands on her lap. Ann let go of her thigh, sensing trouble. “What is it?”

“Ok. So I think it’s best I just come out and say this. The truth is that I’ve been hurt many times and I’m a little frightened of my feelings for you, Ann. I think we should slow down and give you time to think about this. I want you. But only if I can have all of you and I think you should take time to decide if you’re comfortable being with a woman, in all that would mean for your life. I think we should spend some time apart for awhile.”

“Does that mean….do you want me to leave the weekend early?”

“No. No! I don’t mean this weekend. I feel like we’re in a glorious dream together and I don’t want it to end, but when we get back to the real world, let’s just take some time apart. I’m not as strong as I look. Well, I am, obviously. But not always. Just….I can’t give you my heart yet….at least I’m trying very hard not to.”

  
“Oh, Anne. I understand, I think.” They smiled at each other, holding eye contact. “You know, you’re not the only one feeling a bit vulnerable in this whirlwind you’ve taken me on, Ms Lister. How about we let Jolene show us around a little while more today? It feels so good to ride with you.”

Anne Lister flashed her trademark wide smile, relieved. “As you wish, m’lady.” She tossed cash along with a generous tip onto the table and helped Ann up from the booth. Pete waved from behind the bar, winking lasciviously. Anne was glad Miss Walker hadn’t seen that. “Oh, piss off!” she mouthed at him with a wink in return.

**Chapter 12**

  
Outside the pub, Anne fired up Jolene’s powerful engine and Ann swung into place behind her. As they crawled through the small town, busy with weekend shoppers, Ann found herself thinking it was good that, under her helmet, Ms Lister was likely mistaken to be a boyfriend by anyone watching. She winced with fierce self-loathing.  _ Why should I care what these strangers might think of us?  _ They took a leisurely loop through the countryside, pausing for a couple hours to walk along a riverside park before heading back.

The sea had grown calm and a cheerful sunset met them as they parked Jolene in the half-ruined stable at the castletower and walked along the cliff to the chaumiere. 

“Anne?”

“Mm?”

“Um, Have you always been this brave? About being, you know….this particular kind of a woman? I mean, have you always been….like this?”

“Ah, ‘Like this.’ Yes. I was every bit as…..incorrigible...as a preschooler. For better or worse, I have always been precisely the unusual species of female you see before you now, my lovely lady. I have had the great blessing of not particularly caring what other people think of my oddity. Actually, that’s a bit of a lie. But I rise above it.”

Ms Lister swung their entwined hands between them as they walked along the pebbled path. She noticed Ann growing quiet again.

Anne stopped and turned, placing her hand along Ann’s delicate cheek. “My gorgeous girl, please know you are not alone in what you are experiencing. It’s quite normal to feel stress over others’ perceptions of ourselves. I’m the odd one. Not you. You’ve been the very picture of feminine beauty and grace and as far as you knew, as far as your friends and colleagues and family knew, you were also completely heterosexual. Don’t suppose that one weekend of, let’s admit, truly fabulous sex with a woman you hardly know means that you’re now meant to skip straight along to the nearest Pride parade.”

“But I feel that I do know, Anne! I mean, I know this isn’t just a fluke event. I’ve never felt….connected...during sex before. Sure, I’ve been turned on and had plenty of good times before, but when I first touched you, tasted you, it was shattering….there was nothing left in reserve….ALL of me wanted you. And I am so scared I’ll hurt you. That I won’t be brave enough.” She sniffled and put her hands on her hips. “I know myself well enough to know that this weekend is the actual start of my love life. I don’t know where it will lead, but I know it will be with women.”

Anne was watching her with her dark eyes searching intensely.  _ Ah, yes, but will it be with me? _

She decided to turn things a shade lighter. “Do you suppose then that I should enquire with the central committee for my toaster oven?”

“What?”

“Sorry, stale old joke.” She playfully picked up Ann in a bear hug and swung her around. “I don’t know what I ever did to deserve to be your first, but I intend to make the most of it!” She swung Ann’s legs up onto her arm and carried her through the door of the chaumiere, dropping her unceremoniously on the sofa and boomed, “Ah Eugenie, you’ve done it again!”

“Oh, Madame! Miss Walker, you have arrived on surprise!” Eugenie was in the kitchenette, her jet black hair spilling over onto the exposed shaved half of her scalp. She was wearing another utility kilt. This one was a military camouflage pattern, but she had painted on a “Hello Kitty” face with glitter beads for eyes where the codpiece would normally go. Her boots, bra and tank top shirt were thrown on the floor. Her elaborate nipple piercings jangled off of her large bare bosom as she turned around and waved, her dark skin dappled with flour. “I have for you preparing dinner. Truite, how you say..” Miss Walker helped, calling out from the sofa, “I love trout!” Switching to perfect French, she joined Eugenie in the kitchen to see the fresh trout waiting in light flour next to a pan where Eugenie had been set up to start a butter sauce. 

Anne poured herself a little wine and watched her classy, incredibly rich lover hitting it off instantly with her wild and topless groundskeeper. Soon, the two of them were reaching over each other like coworkers in a diner for ingredients and utensils as they worked on a pilaf and a salad. “Eugenie, stay with us for dinner! You’re wonderful!,” Ann said. But Eugenie said something about never eating before the moon is high enough to paint and very politely declined. She flashed Anne a wink as she declined the offer. 

Anne smiled back.  _ Ah, thank you Eugenie. _

Eugenie shoved her bare feet into her paint-splattered boots and carried her bra and shirt with her to the door. “Madames, cream puffs I have for you tonight and a quiche for the morning is ready. Enjoy the life of evening!”. She jangled out into the sunset.

“I think I love her even more than the scones, honestly. I’ve decided I should like to book a weekend here again. I’ll leave top reviews online for the proprietor,” Ann said playfully as they started on their dinner.

“And how is the night staff at this establishment?”

Ms Lister found herself watching her lover’s elegant hands handle her knife and fork. The hands that had “tied” her invisibly to her own mattress. The hands that had pressed hard against a barn wall earlier today. The hands that had urgently undone her belt buckle last night. The hands that were not ready to hold her own in public.

“No mint on the pillow, as I recall. But overall, I’d say the service has been very, very attentive.”

“Hmm”

Ann blushed as she saw that Anne had finished eating and was watching her intently.

“What are you thinking of doing with me tonight, my dashing Ms Lister?”

“Um, Scrabble?”

Ann laughed and threw a buttery caper at her across the table. She ate her last bite and came around the table, sitting on Anne’s lap. “You’d thrash me, I’m sure. I had other things in mind.”

“Um, capacitors?” Ms Lister asked roguishly.

Ann played with Anne’s hair. “Oh, I suppose you’d want to talk about those old boring tantalum pentoxide DC-linked capacitors. I’m more of a PP film dielectrics kind of gal lately, to be honest.” She gave Anne’s ear a quick nibble and swung her legs like a child as they dangled from Anne’s lap.

Anne’s laugh boomed through the cottage. “Oh, is that so?”

“Yes. And I’ll have you know that you can keep your tantalum  _ out _ of the turbines you and I are going to make and ship when we change the world together.”

“I see we’ve taken a bit of a step up from contemplating a round of Scrabble.”

“We could play something else, if you’d like.” Ann whispered into her ear as she continued to run her fingers through Ms Lister’s hair, undoing the low ponytail. Anne’s mind raced and her body started to heat.  _ What have I gotten into with this girl? _

“I have an idea. It’s bold, mind you. It’s called ‘bedtime,’” Anne replied. 

Miss Walker snuggled further into her neck, replying “Hmm, that sounds like a lovely game. How does one play it?” She licked the soft spot behind the taller woman’s ear.

“Well, it’s one you and I have not yet played. It goes like this: we do something radical like change our clothes, shower if we wish, brush our teeth and go to bed together.”

“Mmmm. I like this game. And who wins?”

“Obviously, the first person to bed!” Anne then tossed Miss Walker off her lap and sprinted to the bathroom. Ann caught her balance and ran after, yelling, “No fair! Head start!”   
In the bathroom, the two women jostled hard against each other, brushing their teeth like maniacs and splashing each other as they competed for the faucet for a face washing. Ann attacked Anne with a pasty toothbrush to the face to gain the upper hand. Anne returned the volley with a handful of moisturizing cream. Laughing hard, the women continued to elbow each other furiously until they had finished their evening hygienic routine and Anne laughed as Miss Walker promptly dropped her pants and took a seat on the room’s throne. 

“Ha! Got here first!”

“I thought couples didn’t use the toilet in front of each other until after the fifth anniversary.”   
“Clearly, you weren’t raised correctly, Ms Lister.”

Anne didn’t want to lose any time in this vital competition. She ran out, back to the bedroom, and Ann could hear her rustling through a drawer. Miss Walker finished up, flushed and ran back to her own luggage in the guest room, listening to the heavy thuds of Anne rushing to the bathroom for her own turn on the throne.

_ I think this will do nicely _ , Ann thought, as she fished out a very sexy simple red lingerie blouse.It was perfectly sized, showing exactly enough of her waist and bosom and buttocks. It hung gorgeously on her body, and she knew it. She heard Anne flop onto the bed, yelling out, “It seems I’ve won this round of bedtime, Miss Walker! What is my prize?”

  
Ann took a moment to brush her hair and put on a touch of lipstick that matched her silk lingerie and her toenails. She walked past the bathroom, down the short hallway to the master bed, and before emerging, she extended her lower leg through the doorway, bending her knee, flexing her exquisite calf (she’d always been proud of her legs) and seductively ran her foot up along the doorjamb, revealing her inner thigh in process.

“Dear Lord,” Anne gasped from the bed. “I have never been so happy to win a race.”

  
Miss Walker giggled and continued a cat-like slow-walk through the door, doing a slow turn so that she faced away from the slack jawed shipping mogul watching her. She spread her legs and slowly lifted her arms, raising the hair off her slender white neck, moving her body in a graceful serpentine motion before flipping her hair back onto her shoulders. Sneaking a lascivious smile over her shoulder at Anne, she then very slowly bent over at the waist, very cautious of the rise of her lingerie’s hemline as it crept up her thighs in the process. She heard Anne becoming very, very quiet and knew she had every ounce of her lover’s attention. She continued to bend forward until juuuuuussst before the “big reveal” and then bounced upright again.

“Please come over here,” Anne croaked in a quiet voice, “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met, Miss Ann Walker of Walker Enterprises.”

Ann felt herself blush at the obvious sincerity in Ms Lister’s voice. She turned around, finding her tall, thin lover stretched out on the bed wearing black silk “boy short” style underwear and a black silk mid-drift tank. She stopped to admire the strong shoulders--she hadn’t seen them before. Her muscles were well defined with a prominent vein that ran down the front of her biceps and along her strong forearms. Her abdomen was muscular and curved with a feminine grace. She could see Anne’s breathing was faster than normal. Her thighs were just as muscular and slender as the rest of her and wearing these shorts, her legs seemed to go on forever.

“Ms Lister of Lister Global, I do believe the feeling is quite mutual,” she smiled as she made a show of going to the other side of the bed and getting into it in a proper, ladylike manner, instead of following her very strong longing to throw herself on top of Anne and start devouring her immediately.

The two women lay on their sides facing each other and intertwined their curled pinky fingers, just looking into each other’s eyes and smiling.

“So what happens next in the game of ‘bedtime?’”

Anne stayed quiet for a long moment before replying, squeezing Ann’s finger with her own. “Actually, the game has ended” She brushed the hair from Ann’s cheek with great tenderness and looked intensely into her eyes. “I don’t know what the coming days and weeks and years will bring. But I’m done with playing. Whatever time you and I have together, I want to be truly present with you. You are worth risking my heart again.”

Ann almost melted under the heat of Ms Lister’s gaze, but she didn’t shrink back. “Anne, what do you want? I mean what do you really want? You have everything. You could have anyone. What are you longing for?”

  
Anne’s usually calm face crumpled into tension and she broke the gaze Ann had returned. Miss Walker could see her jaw muscles work, her brows pinched together, her chin tucked. She knew to let her take her time. A moment passed before Anne answered, “I want to be married. I want to find my partner. I want to make a home. I want someone who is not ashamed to be called mine. I want to grow old in someone’s arms. I want a wife.” She was crying a bit now and Ann was amazed that she was not alarmed to see her dashing ‘James Dean’ lover in this state. Instead, she felt almost relieved to definitively know this had not been just a fairy tale or a fling. This was real. 

Anne wiped her eyes and nose and continued, “Ann, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, not this early in our time together and especially with you not even having had the chance to process what this weekend might mean for your life beyond me, but, “

“No ‘but’! No! I don’t want to even contemplate a life ‘beyond’ you right now! Look, neither of us knows where this will lead, but,” Here, Miss Walker took Anne’s chin and forced her to regain eye contact, “Anne, look. Look at us now, together,in this bed. In love. Yes I said it. I’m falling in love with you. I’ve never felt this way before. We are not a weekend fling for each other. Maybe all those other women who used you as a side dish were meant just to let you sow your wild oats and realize what you actually want. And maybe all the years I’ve spent dating men as infrequently as possible and as unsatisfactorily as imaginable were meant to make me brave enough to say ‘yes’ to life when you came around.” She heard Anne sniffle hoarsely and continued, “By the way, it would have been considerably more convenient if you’d shown up fifteen years ago, but, ‘Hey ho,’ as they say.” She kissed Anne’s forehead and felt Ms Lister exhale and snuggle deeply into her chest. 

Muffled by Ann’s bosom, Anne eventually replied, “You were the one who was late. I have been waiting for you for many, many years.”

She brought her face up to meet Miss Walker’s and they looked more deeply into each other’s eyes than they had ever done, seeing not only each other’s sexiness but also each other’s accumulated hurt and sadness. 

Their lips met very slowly and softly, opened wide to each other. The kiss felt like a melding. This time, it was not one tongue advancing, or one mouth devouring, rather, it was two meeting precisely in the middle, exploring each other slowly, tentatively, responsively. The kiss lasted many minutes and slowly expanded to hands taking up the same choreography. Each woman matched their explorations and excitement with the other’s. They revelled in the curves of their waists, the shudders of their bellies, the quickening rise of their nipples pressing together. There was seemingly no boundary between giving and taking. There was only sharing. For the very first time, they were making love.

As their touching became more and more urgent, they each held each other’s most tender parts in their hands, feeling the involuntary hip motions sending them ever closer. Crushed together, their wrists aching, they took up an unspoken call-and-reply as they slid their fingers around and against the hardness of each other’s clits. The kissing had stopped and was replaced with hoarse panting into each other’s ears, cheek to cheek. Even those breaths had synchronized as their bodies found rhythm in each other. Faster, more urgent now, small groans and bed squeaks came. Their wet wrists and hands slid back and forth against each other, smashed between them. They both became disorganized and shuddering in the motions, their hips suddenly still, but their hands working frantically. Simultaneously, each woman used her fingers to push into the other’s body as orgasm came. They shook, feeling the contractions of their own body even as they felt their lover’s contractions around their fingers.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fandom, my first fanfic and my first attempt at fiction writing. Many thanks to the wonderful women at Shibden After Dark who have inspired me to try something new. Constructive criticism welcomed!


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